Smile Sunshine
by Bamie02
Summary: Deeks is called away on a LAPD undercover assignment. But not even that is going to stop him from keeping up his life's mission of making Kensi smile.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: NCIS LA and all characters you know are not mine._

When Kensi woke up that morning, she knew starting today things would be different. LAPD had called Deeks back for another undercover assignment, and no one knew how long he would be gone. Days, weeks, months, there was no telling. Monty was being boarded at the Puppy Palace, where he would receive weekly dog massages and live like a king.

She tried telling herself that she should be happy he was gone, her days would be a little quieter now, no one there to talk her ear off and annoy her. Yes, she was getting a temporary partner, but she hoped he was good at keeping his mouth shut and didn't constantly question and harass her about every little thing.

Ok, if she was honest with herself, she was going to MAYBE miss the incessant talking. But, at least she wouldn't have to fight for the radio. 'Tom? Tim? Well whatever, hope he likes techno. And too bad if he doesn't' she thought to herself. After getting dressed, she walked to her car, noticing something on her windshield. Pulling the piece of light purple paper away from the windshield wiper, she got into her car and opened the note:

_Ok sunshine, here's the thing. I know you hate these LAPD Ops I have to go on. And I know you will make it seem like you aren't missing me, but come on, we both know that isn't true. I know they are assigning you a temporary partner from LAPD while I am out. And while I know he won't be me, let him back you up while I am away. It would really help me out knowing that someone is watching your back. Also, remember __143__. Now, I have a surprise for you. But I am not telling you what it is. You will have to wait and see. I hope you know that no matter what, I am always with you, and I WILL be coming back to you. Be safe partner. – D _

Well...fuck. She hadn't even started her first day without him, and she had tears pricking her eyes. She reread the note, and started to wonder to herself what the surprise is and what the hell 143 was. Leave it to Deeks, she thought. She turned the radio on and up and managed to drown out all other thoughts as she drove to work.

Pulling up and noticing a strange car in the parking spot her partner normally parks in, she suddenly became angry. How DARE someone else take his parking spot. Yes, he may be temporarily away, but he's coming back. And he would have his damn spot when he got here. This was getting fixed RIGHT NOW. Slamming her door, she stormed into the bull pen, ready to take on the world, starting with the new TEMPORARY liaison, when she stopped short. There, on her desk, was a vase with assorted flowers on it. What the hell is this? She picked up the note that was with it, looking around to see if anyone else there to see this. Not seeing anyone, she read the card:

_Let it go princess, I will have my spot back when this is over. Smile, you just got surprise #1! _

How the hell did he know about the parking spot? And what did he mean about surprise number 1? And what do you know, she was smiling.

She met her temporary partner, Trey Norton. He didn't seem too bad. Short brown hair, green eyes, 35ish. She found out during their first week together he had been married for 3 years before his wife left him. No kids. He had been with LAPD for 10 years now. Made it up to Detective as well, but after the divorce, he seemed to have lost his edge. So now, here he is, hoping to salvage something of his career. There was far more to it, but she was able to drown out most of it.

With the cases rolling in, she hadn't had a lot of time to think about the notes or the other "surprises" that may or may not be waiting for her. She found a groove with Trey that she could work with for a while, she just hoped she didn't have to put on this charade for long. She was edgy because she wasn't herself. She was a damn good agent, but she wanted the other half of her. Because, yeah, she was finally able to admit that she was hopelessly and completely in love with one Marty Deeks.

And as soon as he got his ass back here in ONE PIECE, she would tell him. Or show him. Or both. Hmmm…that could be fun, she thought. She snickered to herself and started to mentally plan out her attack. She looked up from her desk and noticed Sam, Callen and Trey looking at her.

"What?!"

"Nothing, just wondering what's going through your mind over there that has you smiling like a 5 year old in a candy shop" Callen said.

"If you must know, I have been eyeing a certain pair of shoes and I just saw they are on sale. You know girls and shopping." Damn, she was rather proud of that lie. No way in hell was she telling the guys what she was really thinking about. She knew that Sam and Callen would be okay with them taking the next step, as long as they were able to keep their personal and professional lives separate, but there was no way in hell she was going to actually voice it.

"Keep telling yourself that Kens. We know what's on your mind" Sam snickered.

"What am I missing?" Trey asked. Poor guy, he had nothing but puppy dog eyes for Kensi, but she saw none of it. She had eyes for one person only, she just wished that certain blue eyed, blonde moppy haired guy was here. Sam and Callen were starting to feel a little sorry for him. Kensi ignored most of what he said to her and spoke only with Callen and Sam. The boys had warned him not to take it to heart. Kensi, by nature, is a very closed off person.

"Nothing, Trey. Not your concern." Kensi glared at Sam and Callen as they sat in their chairs, just staring at her, smirking. She closed her computer and went to the shooting range.

_AN: This is my first story. Please let me know what you think. :)_


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer - Sadly, not mine. Please see AN at the bottom. Any/all mistakes are mine._

_Week 1_

The next Monday, she walked in the bull pen. Deeks had been gone a week now. She had completely forgotten about the surprises, so when she saw a wrapped gift on her desk, she raced over and just stared at it. How the hell was this happening? He was undercover right now, there's no way he would risk his OP to come here. Was someone helping him? Hetty maybe, or Nell, she thought to herself.

Looking around and not seeing anyone, she picked up the gift and saw the same light purple paper on top. Opening it, she was greeted w/ her partners writing and another note:

_Kensalina – SURPRISE! Inside, you will find something that you love more than anything. Try to make them last more than 10 minutes. Keep smiling sunshine. :) - D _

Tearing the wrapping open revealed a box of her beloved Twinkies. I could kiss him right now, she thought, smiling. Damn, that man knew her. But how the hell did it get there? Taking a Twinkie out of the box, she thought of all the little things about him that she loved.

His jokes, sometimes the only thing that kept her sane after the horrors that they witnessed. He knew when to be serious, when to joke, and when to say nothing at all, offering her nothing more than a smile and beer and the promise of bad reality TV later.

What had she been like before that fateful day at the MMA gym when she got her first look at Jason Wyler, AKA Marty Deeks. She thought her life was good then, but looking back, she knew it wasn't. Hell, her life now was not right when Deeks was gone. Everything was off.

Before him, she was used to going home, taking a bath after a long day, ordering some take out and watching TV. Since him, it was pretty much the same with beer and movies being pretty normal, but the difference was she wasn't alone. She appreciated having someone with her, to laugh and make jokes with. Now, since he had been gone, she was restless, wondering where he was, what he was doing. It was slowly making her crazy, this thirst to know what was going on, if he was ok. She had to get a grip. Kensi Marie Blye did NOT do this, whatever THIS was.

Shaking her head to get her mind right, she looked up as Sam and Callen came in.

Looking at her desk, Callen raised an eyebrow. "Who sent the Twinkies Kens?" She threw the box in her drawer and glared at him.

"Don't even think about it Callen, these are mine, not yours. And for your information, I brought them in with me this morning."

Wow, that didn't sound as convincing coming out as it did in her head. She was going to have to work on that. Callen just smirked and walked off with a smiling Sam towards the gym. Trey walked in and looked at the Twinkie sitting on her desk. She shot him a death glare, shoved the Twinkie in her mouth and stomped off towards the gym.

_AN - I am absolutely overwhelmed by the response to this story. THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed, favorite/followed this story. You guys are incredibly amazing. Now, most of this story is already written, and some chapters will be longer than others. I know this one was short, but I hope you liked it. Reviews are love. :)_


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer - still not mine._

Week 2

Work was slower this week. Kensi finished up her paperwork and was about to head home. She glanced at Trey, sitting at Deeks' desk. This wasn't right. She really hoped that the assignment he was on right now was finished soon. She needed to know she had his back, needed to just have HIM back.

She had spent the last week over analyzing every wink, every smile. She knew that most of what he said about other women was pure talk, but it still made her jealous as hell. Not that she would ever admit that.

And while neither of them ever admitted it, they had a thing.

She was definitely attracted to him, but now that he was gone, she knew it went a lot farther than just basic attraction. She found herself missing his boyish charm, his inappropriate jokes, his smile. Things she hadn't realized made a difference before, she now fully understood how much of it she needed. She needed _him_. As if that wasn't the craziest thing, she knew it was because she loved him. And had for a long time.

Driving home, she thought of all the times he had pushed her, and she had pushed back even harder. She wished now that she had been able to give in a little more. She realized that her thoughts were making it seem that he wasn't coming back, and there was no way she could even begin to fathom that. There would be time when he got back to rectify this, them. She was going to make sure that he knew what he meant to her.

When she got home, she was mentally exhausted. She ate the left over pizza, had a beer and went to bed.

The next morning she got up, feeling a little better. She put her jogging clothes on and was about to step outside when something caught her attention. On her step, next to the door, was a potted plant. She gasped, and started looking around. It was a _fern_. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary, she picked it up and took it inside. Was there a note? She didn't see one, so she lifted the pot up, and low and behold, there was the light purple piece of paper, and pulled it off carefully so she didn't tear it.

_Fern – how perfect is this?! A little something so you don't forget me. Smile sunshine! – D_

Why the hell would he get her a plant?! He KNOWS that she can't keep anything alive. She killed a damn cactus for god's sake. Well damn it all, she was going to do everything possible to keep this thing alive until he at least got back. Smiling, she put the fern on the table and went for her run.

When she got home, she looked at the fern on her table. Did it already look like it was wilting? SERISOULY?! No no NO. She was not killing the plant as soon as she got it. She showered and dressed quickly, taking the plant with her. She had just enough time to stop by the store to get some reading material on how to keep this thing alive.

Picking up several books on how to care for plants, she drove to work. Why the hell did he have to give her _this_? It was a joke, a sick joke. And she was not laughing. Neither would he if he got and she had managed to kill it. It was now her life's mission to keep this thing alive.

Walking in, books and fern in hand, she was ready for the snarky comments coming her way. Before anyone could even lift an eyebrow at her predicament, she put her best glare on her face.

"If anyone so much as breathes on this thing, I will shoot you. Mutter one word about it, and I will kill you before you finish the thought."

She set the books and the plant down, praying to everything that was holy that the guys would keep their mouths shut.

She read for about 15 minutes. Okay, she could do this. Don't keep it in direct sunlight. Check. Likes humid places. Check. Make sure it's watered. Check. Come one, she's a special agent, she could do this! UGH she can't do this, she thought. She was killing Deeks when he got back. Death by Fern. In more ways than one.

Hearing the whistle from Eric, she put the books away. She could see the looks from Sam, Callen and Trey, but they were smart enough not to say anything. All of them looked from the plant to her before trudging up the stairs.

Three days later, after immersing herself in the case that had come in, she slowly walked to her desk. What she saw melted her heart. Sam, in all his manly glory, was watering her fern, checking the soil and making sure he didn't over water it.

She walked up to him. "Thank you, Sam. That means more than you will ever know."

"I have an idea of the importance, Kensi. Don't worry, we will make sure Fern is ok. We won't let anything happen to it." She could hear the double meaning in his words and smiled. Deciding the leave the fern at work, where at least it had a fighting chance of surviving with the help of the team, she gave Sam a quick hug and went home.

_AN - Thank you all so so very much for all the alerts on this story. I hope you liked this chapter. :)_


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer - not mine, but they sure are fun to play with._

Week 3

Kensi's morning jog found her at the beach. She had consciously made this decision, knowing that this was Deeks favorite surfing spot. She glanced out towards the water, knowing she wouldn't see his blonde hair, but she couldn't stop herself from hoping that it was there.

She wouldn't tell him this, but watching him surf was one of her favorite things to do. She would grumble about getting up early, but secretly, she loved it. Loved spending time with him. Loved that he shared this very personal part of him.

He had told her once that being out on the water was one of the only ways he could straighten things out in his head. This was where he came to erase bad aliases, to come back to himself. To remind him that he wasn't those people, where he could cleanse himself of the things he had seen and forced to do.

She sat on the beach and watched the sun rise. The way the light glistened over the water, making it sparkle. Listening to the wave's crash against the shore. She wiggled her toes in the sand, lost in her thoughts. She missed him far more than she realized she would, and that surprised her, the depths to which these feelings went.

She thought of Jack. When he went off to war, all those years ago, she understood fear, loneliness, longing. Fear that he wouldn't come home, loneliness day after day, week after week. Longing to feel his arms around her again. But as she watched the waves, becoming mesmerized by the ebb and flow of the tide, she realized that everything she felt for Jack was paled in comparison to Deeks.

She loved Jack, so much. But with Deeks, his absence made the familiar feelings of fear, loneliness and longing so much more intense. Since he had been gone, she came to terms with the love she felt for him, but this? This was a lot more to take in than she realized.

The nights alone in her apartment were the worst. Her mind would wander to every horrible thing that could happen to him and she would find herself on the edge of hyperventilating with her head between her knees, tears streaming down her face. When she finally pulled herself together, she would pull the ice cream out of her freezer and lose herself in the memories she had of him. She knew it was dangerous, this level of depression that she was reaching, but she didn't know what else to do.

She realized there, staring at the ocean that he loves so much, that this would stop. Deeks wouldn't want her to sit there, worrying herself sick over him. If the situation was reversed, she knew she wouldn't want Deeks to sit at home every night, thinking over every situation that could go horribly wrong. This was their job, their life.

And there was an almost guarantee that this would happen again, with either one of them having to go off on their own on a dangerous mission to save the world. They had to trust each other to come back. And starting now, she would trust Deeks to do this mission, to do his job, and come back to her.

Getting up and dusting the sand off her, she jogged home. Opening the door, she immediately knew something was off. She remembered turning the light off when she left, however, her kitchen light was now on. She pulled her gun out, and began clearing the rooms. Once she was sure there was no one else in the apartment with her, she turned and that's when she saw it.

There, on her kitchen table, was a box. Glancing around, she walked up and opened it. Sweet Jesus. There was a dozen doughnuts, one of each of her favorites. And there was only ONE person on this earth who knew what all her favorite doughnuts were. And knowing WHO that was, she also knew there was going to be a note around here somewhere.

She picked the box up, but there was nothing under it…nothing on or under the lid. She looked down. She could see something underneath the doughnuts, but in order to get to it, she had to either move or eat the sugary delights in her way. Eat it was! After she had enough gone that she could finagle the zip lock bag with her note in it, she washed off the bag and her hands. Sitting down in her chair, she opened the baggy and pulled her note out.

_Sugarbear – Surprise! Please, I beg of you, don't eat all of these at one time. Take your time, savor the taste of them (even though I know by now you've already eaten at least half…did you taste ANY of them?). Think of me when you eat one. I bought one of each of your favorites, because I know how hard it is for you to choose sometimes. Smile sunshine! -D_

She smiled, picked up the next doughnut and thought of him as she savored the taste. Even when he was gone, he had an uncanny ability to know when she was feeling down. Every time she started getting upset about him being away, she would get another gift. He was amazing like that.

She wasn't worried about how the doughnuts showed up, either. She knew he wasn't the one who left them, but he wouldn't send just anyone into her home while she was away. Her best guess was Nell. And as much as she wanted to ask her friend about it, she wasn't going to. Whatever he had worked out with his partner in crime in this, she almost didn't _want _to know. He was doing what he set out to do, making her smile. Making sure she didn't forget him while he was gone. Little did he know that the surprises weren't necessary.

Taking the remaining doughnuts to work and setting them out for the others, she took one and sought out Nell. Seeing what she was holding, Nell just smiled at her and took the offering.

"Thanks for the doughnut Kens, but you didn't have to."

"I know, it's just my way of saying thank you."

Before Nell could say anything else about it, Kensi smiled and hurried away, ready to get the day started.

_AN - Again, I can not thank you enough for all the reviews and alerts on this story. I am blown away. :)_


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer - not mine._

Week 4

It had been a horrible week. She and the team had been tracking a serial rapist and she was the bait. Of course. Hetty had dressed her in the tightest, shortest dress she could find, coupled with 4 inch heels and dark make-up; she knew she would turn heads.

Just as planned, the club was dark, the music loud, and their target took the bait. Leading a believable drunk Kensi outside, he had deviated from his normal routine and instead of taking her to his car (where he would normally force the girls in, tying their hands and feet together and putting duct tape over their mouths, shoving them to the floor of the back seat and then taking off) he had knocked Kensi unconscious and dragged her to a nearby alley.

They guys had set up next to the car, hoping to take him down when they reached it. Luckily, they heard what was happening through the comms, and reacted quickly, getting to them before anything more happened. Kensi came to as they were cuffing the guy.

Trey looked white and everyone was worried they would need to call EMS to come take care of him. But he got himself together, helped Kensi up and tried to get her to go the ER to have her head checked out. Both Callen and Sam knew that wasn't going to happen.

Kensi shrugged him off, telling him she was fine. The guys shook their heads, knowing that if Deeks was there, he would know she was anything BUT fine and drag her to the ER no matter what she said.

Kensi was all too aware that her partner was not there. She knew the remarks he would have made the entire night about her outfit. She would have done her very best to stop the beating of her heart and the blush she was sure would rise while making quips back at him.

Once she had set up the guy, he would have made sure to never let her out of his sight. He would know what this guy was capable of, and his over protective instincts would take over.

As soon as they had made it outside, he would have been one step ahead, never letting the guy have a chance at trying to pull one over on them.

She can't guarantee that she wouldn't have been knocked out, but she knows Deeks wouldn't have let the dipshit drag her to an alley, to do things to her that no woman should ever go through. Her dress had been ripped down the side where he had tried to get it off of her, and she would have some bruises on her arms and thighs, but it had gone no farther (thank GOD). She suddenly couldn't take it anymore. She had to get out of there.

"Hey Callen, I am going to go back. Do you need me for anything else?"

"No Kens, go ahead. Don't worry about the reports tonight. They can wait until tomorrow."

She tried laughing. "The reports can wait, yes, but I want to get the dress thing out of the way w/ Hetty. Putting it off makes it so much worse."

Callen gave her a knowing smile. He walked up to her and put his arm around her. "You need anything, you let me know." She smiled up at him. "I'm fine, Callen, but thanks."

When she got to her car, she let go of all the weeks of anguish and worry for Deeks, putting her face in her hands and letting the tears flow freely.

For all the words that should have been said way before this. For her inner turmoil that kept him at arm's length, even though he wormed his way in no matter what she did. For wanting him with her RIGHT NOW, needing him to offer his comfort, no matter how small it might be. A brush of a shoulder, a smile, hell right now she would give anything to hear his completely inappropriate comments about ANYTHING. Because that would mean he was ok. That he was there with her.

She pulled it together and drove back to the office. Trey was going to go with the guys to interrogate the guy. Hetty had been appalled at that the state of the dress, but was more concerned about the state of her. After assuring her that she was FINE, she changed and just sat at her desk. The thought of going home, alone, was depressing.

She looked at his desk, and her stomach rumbled. She realized she hadn't eaten anything since lunch. Knowing he had a secret stash somewhere in that desk, come hell or high water she was going to find it.

Sitting in his chair, she opened and examined the first two drawers, to no avail. She found the bottom drawer locked. Interesting… She got her lock picking tools out of her desk and started fumbling around, trying to make it work. AH-HA!

The stars aligned and the drawer opened before her. Looking up to make sure no one else was around, she started rummaging. Pulling out some files, she noticed a small box at the bottom. Pulling the box out and setting it on the desk, she noticed that it had a 3 number combination lock on it. Well…hell, she thought. Does he literally keep the treats locked up? Well, yeah, he probably did. What else was in there?

Her mind started running a mile a minute. She tried all kinds of combinations, until she remembered his first letter he left her. _Remember_ 143 it had said. Slowly, she put the numbers in, and the lock opened. She threw the lid open, and low and behold, before her were several different kinds of candy, all her favorite. One of each.

She started pulling some out, and noticed a picture at the bottom. Pulling it out, she recognized it immediately. It was one of her favorites. She and Deeks had had to have "wedding" photos done for an undercover op. They had gone to the beach. The sun had been setting, and in this picture, she was laughing at something her irritating partner had just said. His arm was around her and he was looking at her with such love, she wondered how she had never seen it before.

Tears gathered in her eyes. She knew right then, no matter what, when he got back from this op, they were going to have a talk. There was no way she wanted to go on without him. Next to her. Everyday. She was vaguely surprised that thought didn't have her running for the hills. But she also knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that if anyone could make this work, a partnership AND a relationship, it was them. There was nothing they wouldn't do for each other. Why did it take her so long to realize this?

Kensi wiped her eyes and started eating a piece of her chocolate. As she was about to close the lid, she noticed a light purple note stuck to the top of it. Gently pulling it off, she opened it. Noticing that it was a rather long letter, and knowing she wanted to read it in private and not here, just in case the guys came back, she quickly put the box back, locked the drawer, gathered her things and left.

She made a stop and picked up Chinese. She was so lost in her thoughts about Deeks and everything she had finally managed to wrap her mind around tonight, she didn't notice that she had driven to HIS apartment instead of hers. She parked the car and looked up at his door. What the hell, she thought, I will just go in and make sure everything is ok. No harm in that.

She grabbed her stuff, pulled out the key he had given her (for emergency purposes, of course) and went inside. Turning on the lights, she realized just HOW MUCH she had missed him. Standing here, amongst his things, she could almost feel him.

Walking to his room, she pulled out one of his LAPD shirts and slipped it on, inhaling deeply at the aroma she could only describe as uniquely Deeks. She went back to the couch and opened the letter, knowing she couldn't wait any longer. Taking a deep breath, she began to read:

_My Fearless Kensi,_

_If you are reading this, then I know you had a rougher-than-normal day and managed to get into my (your) secret stash. Which is exactly why I have it. And gave you the combo to get into it. I hope you don't mind the picture. I had Nell make me a copy of it. I hoped you wouldn't have a day where you would need to find this, but since you are reading it, I know you're feeling down. About me being gone? An op that I am sure went wrong which led you to this? A little of both, or maybe something else? I don't know. But I hope by reading this, it will help you. _

_Sweetheart, I know I am not there in person to help you through this. I hope when I get back there aren't any new scars you need to explain to me. I hope you are safe. Know that no matter what I am doing or where I am, I am thinking of you. Of coming back to you, safe and in one piece. I know if I don't, you will kill me. I know that there isn't anything you wouldn't give to be out there with me, having my back. I hope you know that I feel the same way. Knowing I can't help you if you need it, whether it be a gun at your six, a shoulder to lean on or just to make you laugh hurts me more each day. But I will be back. If you know nothing else right now, know this. You are more important to me than anything, princess. Anything. _

_You are absolutely amazing, Kensi Marie Blye. You are the strongest, bravest person I know. You are incredibly loyal to a precious few, and for those few you would go to the ends of the earth (and have) and who would do the same for you, no questions asked. No one can match your fierce determination and dedication. I am proud and humbled that you trust me. I will never do anything to make you regret that decision._

_You are my partner, my best friend. You have no idea the importance you have in my life. I know there will be some explaining to do WHEN I get back, but that's ok. We are long overdue for this conversation. I know my feelings for you, and when I am there to fully express them, I will. No more pretending. No more waiting. If you don't feel the same way, if you feel that now is not the time to bring it up, all you have to do is look at me and shake your head, and I will know. I won't make it awkward for you, for us. _

Kensi wiped her eyes, just now realizing the tears streaming down her face, unable to stop them. She had a good idea his feelings for her, but to have proof of it made her heart sing and break at the same time. Knowing he valued her, respected her, possibly _loved_ her but wasn't here WITH her was more than she could handle right now.

She couldn't stop the downpour of tears if she tried. She wanted nothing more than to have conversation with him, and she would make sure that he knew that. With shaking hands, but a clear head, she continued to read.

_I will not say everything you want to hear right now. It's not the time. But know that you are in my thoughts and in my heart. Everything will work itself out. Don't worry about me, I will be ok. Worry about you. Don't get distracted out there b/c of me. I am doing what needs to be done to come home. _

_Because I feel that this letter is incredibly serious, and whether or not it made you feel any better (different?) than when you first opened it is unknown to me, I want to remind you not to forget about your surprises. I know this is one of them (and a big one, since you now know about the secret stash…and the combo to get into it.), but this isn't the last one. In case you haven't noticed, I have made it my job to make sure you smile. Even when I am not there. So…keep your eyes peeled. Never know when the next one might show up. Smile sunshine!_

- _D_

She held the letter to her chest and took a deep breath. Food forgotten, she laid down on the couch, letting sleep overtake her, knowing her dreams would be filled with a blonde haired surfer cop.

_AN - longest chapter so far! Hope you liked it! Drop me a note and let me know what you think. :)_


	6. Chapter 6

_Before we get into the next chapter, I want to shamelessly promote the new story bookdiva posted earlier. It's called Dates and Distractions. Bookdiva, EmmyLou74 and I all wrote a one shot back before 5X02 (when Kensi and Nell walked in talking about the groupster date they had gone on with Rose. Nell was getting all kinds of texts and Kensi hadn't gotten any...the three SEPARATE stories are what happened on the date). Go check it out!_

_Disclaimer - we all know it isn't mine._

Week 5

The next week following her melt down and the revelations letter, things started to look up, well, as much as they could without him being here with her. She was making a conscious effort to smile a little more, to not be as intense all the time.

Callen and Sam noticed the difference immediately, and both wondered what had happened to turn her around. Oh, they had ideas, but it was nothing concrete.

Trey on the other hand, was becoming increasingly annoying with his infatuation with her. Even though Kensi had kept him at arm's length, he still thought she hung the moon. He tried making jokes, but all she would do was smile and walk off. He would run ahead and open doors for her, but she would just lift an eyebrow and cross her arms.

She never shared anything more than she had to with him. She had tried, nicely, to tell him that while she appreciated what he was trying to do, she wasn't interested. He was just her partner, temporarily, until Deeks came back. But he seemed to think that he could change her mind.

She was sitting at her desk, trying to complete some paperwork, when she looked up and noticed Trey staring at her. She put her hands on the table.

"What can I do for you Trey?

"Oh, um, I was just wondering if you wanted to go get some dinner after work tonight." Kensi knew this was coming.

"Trey, we have been over this. You are my partner until Deeks comes back. At the end of the day, we will go our separate ways and meet back up here tomorrow. That's it."

Trey looked down, a little wounded. He shook his head and when he looked back up, he smiled.

"Ok, I get it."

"Trey, I'm sorry. I just…Deeks, he's my partner. He's my best friend. And I hope you know I am trying here, working with you. It's nothing against you, at all. You are a great guy and a great cop. You have my back and I have yours. And someday, you are going to make some special lady very happy. But I am not that lady. My heart is with someone else. I hope you can understand that."

"I do, Kensi. But, offer still stands on dinner. Just as friends."

She laughed a little. "We'll see. And if you speak of this conversation to _anyone_, go look at where I shoot my targets. It will not end well for you."

Laughing, he nodded and got up, walking away. She sighed and shook her head. She really needed her partner back.

Later that day, with no new cases coming in, she walked to the shooting range for practice. She had excess energy to work off. Putting the ear protectors and eye wear on, she made quick work of her target. All perfect shots to the head and chest...well and the one shot to the groin. Usually, shooting helped clear her head, but not today.

So, she decided to go to the armory to clean her gun. Reaching into the cabinet to get her supplies, she noticed it was moved around a little. Looking down, she noticed a rather large box and the famous pale purple paper. Grinning like a school girl, she pulled the box out and unfolded her next note.

_Well looky here sweet cheeks. Hope this little surprise finds you happy and healthy (well, as healthy as your food habits allow). It's not much, but when I saw it, I knew it was for you. Smile sunshine, I will be back before you know it! -D_

Tearing off the wrapping paper, she looked down and saw a brand new cleaning kit for her guns. Opening the lid, she looked down at the supplies just waiting for her. She ran her hands along the wood of the kit, unable to keep the grin off her face.

Pulling her gun apart, she meticulously cleaned her weapon with the new supplies, humming some forgotten tune the whole time. She put the gun back together and the supplies back in their rightful place. As she closed the lid, she wondered how she had missed it the first time.

On the box, neatly engraved on the right hand corner, was _KMB_. Underneath it were the words _Always Smile_. This man, she thought, this man was it. The only one who would ever truly understand her. The man who, even though on an undercover assignment, still made it his life's mission to make her smile no matter what.

And God help him when he got back. Because she was going to make sure he knew how much that meant to her. She placed her box underneath the cabinet and walked back to her desk, the smile never faltering.

Callen had watched her silently from the door while she examined the new kit. At first he was surprised she hadn't noticed him, but the longer he watched, the more he realized she was in her own world right now.

He also noted he had never seen that kit before. They all had their own place where they kept their stuff, each meticulous in the way the cared for their weapons, having their own quirks and special pieces. He knew the one she normally used was her dads, in a dark wood box. The one she currently had out was much lighter wood. He listened as she hummed to herself, smiling. He had never seen her this open before, and he was curious what was going through her mind.

When she was done, he saw her close the lid and then run her hands over it, examining it. He watched as she traced her fingers over something. The soft smile adorning her face, the happiness that was radiating off of her, was truly amazing. He slipped away when he noticed her putting the box back under the cabinet.

After she had walked back to her desk, he opened the cabinet and looked at the kit. He saw the initials KMB on it and the inscription below telling her to always smile. He knew immediately who it was from, as Deeks was the only one who was always trying to get her to lighten up and make her smile. They would be having a little heart to heart when he got back.

Not that Callen thought he would ever hurt her, but he wouldn't be doing his big brother duty if he didn't at least _try _and put the fear of God into him. No, there was no _trying_ about it. He _would_ be doing it. With Sam's help, of course. No time like the present to start planning.

Halfway back to the bullpen, Callen realized he was smiling, too. Seems like the Detective had a way of getting everyone around to smile, no matter how indirectly, even when he wasn't here. _Damn that man_, he thought to himself chuckling. He grabbed Sam and the left for the night, plotting out exactly when and how to talk to Deeks when he got back.

_AN - Like it? Hate it? Let me know!_


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer - I know, I don't own it. But they are fun to play with._

Week 6

Stake outs were, by definition, boring as hell. Usually she had her partner with her to help her pass the time. This time, she had a different partner. Looking at the clock and noting it was about 1:15am, she figured Callen and Sam would be here in about an hour to relieve them.

Trey had been unusually quiet since their talk in the bull pen, and while she was happy to have the quiet, she felt bad for the reason behind it. She looked over at him, noticing that he was looking intently at his phone.

"Hey, everything ok over there?" she asked.

He looked up, snapping his phone shut. "Yeah, everything is good."

He was acting weird, but before she could ask anything further, she noticed movement from the house they were watching.

Keeping her eyes peeled for anything suspicious, she noticed that the two arms dealers they were tracking had gotten into a car and were pulling away. Snapping into action, she told Trey to call Callen and let him know what was going on and that they would be following them. Putting the car into drive, it was time for action.

They followed them for about 4 miles when he must have realized they had a tail. The driver stepped on the gas and ran the red light at the last minute. To keep up and not lose them, she followed suit. Luckily, at this time of night there weren't many cars on the road and no one at that particular intersection.

Trey made a quick call to Eric to let him know to keep tracking them as they followed their guys, and Eric let him know that Callen and Sam were right behind them for backup. Two more lights and 3 turns later found them on the freeway, catching up to them. Suddenly, the passenger leaned out and began shooting at them.

Kensi did some defensive driving maneuvers to keep the shooter from hitting them, but he got lucky and shot out a tire. At the speed they were going, there wasn't much she could do as she lost control of the vehicle.

She yelled at Trey to hold on as the car slammed into the concrete barrier and the air bags deployed. As the car came to a stop, she tried to look over at Trey, to make sure he was ok. She could hear him saying her name, but she couldn't get her limbs to work. She finally got her eyes to open and looked over him.

He had a cut over his eye and blood was pouring down his face. She blinked a couple of times. Her whole body hurt and dots kept clouding her vision. She could see his lips moving but his voice seemed far away.

Suddenly, she felt someone trying to undo her seatbelt. Making her neck move, she saw Callen, eyes frantic, lips moving. She thought he was asking her what was wrong, where it hurt, but her mind was whirling and before she closed her eyes to welcome the darkness, she could only mumble one thing_. Deeks_.

At the hospital, Callen, Sam, Hetty, Eric and Nell sat in the waiting room, waiting on news from the doctors about the wellbeing of two of their own.

Sam remembered the way Trey was trying desperately to get to Kensi, to see to her injuries. He had a broken arm and a large gash over his eye.

Callen, lost in his thoughts, remembered cutting Kensi loose from the seatbelt. He could tell she wasn't doing well. He had tried to get her to talk, to tell him what was wrong, but all he could hear was her whispering Deeks' name before she blacked out. After the paramedics had gotten Kensi out of the car, he had walked back over one more time. He noticed a wrapped gift with a light purple note taped to it under her seat. He had seen a couple of these purple notes on Kensi's desk and grabbed it, knowing who it was from and that it would be important to her.

Eric and Nell were both in shock, watching the accident unfold before them on the traffic cam, calling for EMS to get there as fast as they could.

Hetty, as soon as she got the news, packed up Eric and Nell in her car and drove them to hospital, making record time.

Now, their make shift family was sitting in the hard chairs they were far too familiar with, waiting on news of their friends. There was only one person missing, a certain Detective who, had he known, would be here come hell or high water.

Hetty had tried her damnedest to get Bates to get Deeks out of wherever he was to see to his partner, knowing that he would want to be here, but Bates wasn't going to pull him out of his assignment just because of a car accident. He didn't care that Kensi was injured, or that Deeks would be pissed when he found out what happened. Hetty made a mental note to talk to Mr. Deeks when he returned about finally signing those papers.

Hetty stood up, noticing the doctor coming towards them.

"Good evening, or rather, good morning Henrietta. I know you all are waiting for updates on your friends. Mr. Norton sustained a deep laceration above his right eye. His left elbow was bruised but luckily no fractures. He should be released tomorrow.

Ms. Blye's injuries are a lot more severe since the driver side took the biggest hit. She has 3 cracked ribs from the impact and her right wrist is badly sprained and she has multiple scrapes and bruises over her body, however, it's her head that is cause for concern. It seems her head hit the window, causing some swelling in her brain. We have induced a coma for right now, to give her body time to heal and the swelling to come down. We will be doing a CT scan every few hours to monitor it. As soon as the swelling comes down, we will wean her off the medication and see if she will wake up. Right now, it's a waiting game."

Callen was stunned. Her brain was swelling? She was in a coma? "Doc, you said IF she wakes up…" He couldn't get the rest of his sentence out.

The doctor answered the question in all their eyes. "There is never a guarantee that people who suffer brain injuries will wake up. Ms. Blye's injuries are extensive, yes, but the swelling isn't as bad as it could be. If it starts going down soon, there should be nothing keeping her from waking up. However, please keep in mind, we won't know the damage of her head until she wakes up. At best, there will be no lasting effects. At the worst, there could be severe amnesia or other problems such as loss of motor functions. She may have to enter rehab to learn how to do the basic things again, talking, walking, and dressing herself. But I am hopeful that she will make a full recovery. I will allow one person at a time to go back and sit with her. I would suggest talking to her. I believe she can hear you, even if she can't respond right now."

Hetty thanked him and asked if Trey could receive visitors as well. After getting approval from him, Sam immediately got up and said he would go sit with Trey, knowing Callen would want to be with Kensi right now.

Callen sat in a daze, wondering how this had gone to hell to in a hand basket. He despised LAPD right now, knowing Deeks should be the one sitting here with her. He didn't know when, but he knew there was some kind of change between the two partners. He wanted nothing more than the woman he considered his little sister to be happy. And he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Deeks was the person to do that.

Kensi was hard headed and stubborn and had more walls put up than the Great Wall of China, but Deeks had never cared about that. He had watched as slowly but surely, Kensi had started coming out of her shell and became more relaxed. She didn't take as many risks now that she used to. She allowed her softer side to show a little more.

He knew that she worked hard to keep up appearances, to make them see that she was one of them. It had never mattered to her how many times Sam, Callen and even Renko had told her that she didn't need to, that it was ok to be human, but she never wanted to look weak in front of them.

Since Deeks had come along, he watched in fascination as the walls slowly started crumbling. He admired the younger man that he could make her open up in ways they had never been able to do. He proudly watched as the two became REAL partners, seeing the trust in each other. As their bond deepened, he watched as the two slipped seamlessly from partners to friends. The bickering and flirty banter they engaged in was most times inappropriate, but completely _them_. He watched as Kensi loosened up and Deeks be more serious. They brought out the best in each other, and it was incredible to watch.

He and Sam talked frequently on what would happen WHEN they crossed the line from friendship to more. There had always been a thing between them that did nothing but grow with time, no matter how much they denied it. Callen knew the line had yet to be crossed. He had spent enough time watching them.

But he also knew that it would happen soon. There were so many sparks flying between them, that sometimes when they looked at each other it became uncomfortable, like you were witnessing an intensely intimate moment and you didn't know how to get out of it. They could have entire conversations with their eyes, and if you were watching closely, you could see the smirk on Deeks face at the end and the blush start to rise on Kensi's cheeks. Soon, he thought. And he and Sam were ready.

Callen, Sam and even Trey took turns sitting with Kensi for five days. She was never alone in the hospital and the guys were always talking to her. Because Trey's injuries prevented him from doing field work of any kind, he usually sat with her during the day while Callen and Sam would take turns at night. The swelling had slowly receded and was now gone. They had weaned her off the medications in hopes that she would wake up two days ago, but so far, sleeping beauty had been doing just that, sleeping.

On the 6th day, Callen had showed up to relieve Trey. Sitting there, he told his little sister about the day. He and Sam had managed to catch the guys that had caused the accident. He went into detail about the capture of the men and the interrogation.

When that story was done, he did what he did almost every night, he started talking about Deeks. He would recount different stories, in hopes that hearing his name would bring her back. Tonight he was talking about the Stanley King case and how Deeks had been quiet, intent on keeping Kensi safe.

As he was talking, he looked down and noticed her hand twitch. He grabbed her hand and kept talking. Every time he said Deeks' name, her hand would move a little more. So he just kept talking. 10 minutes into it, and he saw her head move a little. He squeezed her hand.

"Come on Kensi, wake up."

And then she did.

Kensi's POV

She felt the fog lifting. She heard Callen talking to her, but she couldn't get her body to respond. He was telling her a story. She listened, and the she heard his name. She tried desperately to do _something _and she thinks her fingers moved. She felt him grab her hand and continue talking. She continued trying to get her body to cooperate, feeling her hand move a few more times.

"Come on Kensi, wake up."

Slowly, so slowly, she opened her eyes.

"Kens, hey there. You had us all scared. How are you feeling? Never mind, don't answer that. I'll get the doctor. Just lay still."

Callen pressed the call button and before she could say anything, the room was flooded with nurses. Callen slipped outside to let the team know she was awake.

Two fun filled hours later, she had been poked and prodded and sent for more scans. She had been asked questions ranging from her name, to where she grew up, where she worked, the last thing she remember, the names of her coworkers, favorite foods. She had talked to the doctor in great length about her injuries and the different scenarios regarding her head trauma. Because of her answers and lack of any kind of amnesia, the outlook was positive, they just had to wait on the test results.

The team was with her now, waiting on the doctor to come and give everyone an update. She watched as Callen, Sam and Trey bickered about the upcoming basketball game. Eric and Nell were talking about the latest techy stuff out there. She looked over at Hetty, who had a small smile on her face.

Catching her eye, Kensi smiled. This was her family and they would do anything for each other. Too bad someone was missing. Kensi sighed. While she appreciated everyone being here, there was only one person she _needed_. And he wasn't available right now.

Before her thoughts could go any further, the doctor came in.

"Hello Ms. Blye. Well, the results of the tests are back. Everything looks great. We are going to keep you for another day or two, just to make sure there are no residual problems. You are a very lucky lady Ms. Blye." He smiled as he nodded his head and left the room.

A few hours later, dinner had been consumed and everyone had slowly gone home. Callen was the only one who hadn't left yet.

"Callen, go home. I know you have been here almost every night since the accident, but you heard the doctor, I'm fine." She smiled at him, knowing it was hard for him to sit here and see her like this. But she was okay. The doctor had just told them that.

"Kensi, I am not leaving you here alone in this hospital. You are the closest thing I have to a sister. In saying that, I would much rather face your wrath than Deeks. When he comes back, if he finds out we didn't stay with you, it will be much worse than whatever you will do if I stay. And that's saying a lot." He smiled gently at her.

At the mention of her partner's name, her eyes had glazed over. He went to his bag and took out the gift and the note and handed it to her. She immediately recognized the light purple paper. She looked up, questions in her mismatched eyes.

"After they took you away in the ambulance, I went back to the car to see what I could get out of it. I noticed this under the seat. I've seen the purple paper a couple of times on your desk and figured this was important. I'm gonna head home and shower and change. I will be back within an hour. Do you want me to bring you anything?"

"No, I'm good. And Callen, really, you don't need to stay with me. I will be okay."

"Not a chance in hell Kens. I know you'd much rather have someone else here with you, and I'm sorry I can't be him, but there is no way I am leaving you alone. Get over it." He smirked at her, got up and took off.

So Kensi sat there, looking at the box and touching the note. Gingerly, she opened the paper.

_Kiki – I cannot, in good conscious, let you get sugar deprived on a stake out. I have noticed over the years that under the seat is the last place you look when you get antsy and bored. So, here you go. Also, the other part just reminded me of you. I don't know how you manage to literally take up the whole bed, but I'm nothing if not crafty, I can adapt. ;) Smile sunshine! - D_

Of course he would notice something like that. She laughed to herself and tore open the box finding her favorite chocolate and a starfish keychain.

By the time Callen got back, the chocolates were already half gone, the box open on her lap and the note in her hand. He put the box on the table next to the bed, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the note and the keychain out of her hand. Deciding against any further attempts, he laid down on the couch and slept, knowing she was going to be ok.

_AN - wow! That was long. Tell me what you think?_


	8. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer stands...not mine_

Week 7

Kensi had finally been discharged from the hospital. She was tired and sore, but thankful to be home. Hetty had given her the rest of the week off, and she would be on desk duty for the next couple of weeks to allow her sprained wrist to heal.

The first thing she had done was to grab the box from her nightstand that held the notes she had received from Deeks. She reread them, smiling at each one and remembering the little surprises that went with them. She placed the newest note with the others and gently put the top back on the box.

She looked at the night stand where she had she had her own picture of her and Deeks. The team had gone out to a bar one night to celebrate another job well done. Nell was taking pictures with her phone and had snapped one of the two of them laughing. Kensi hadn't realized the picture was taken until Nell had given her the picture frame after a much needed girl's night.

Laying down, she drifted off to sleep, dreaming of everything that could be with the most important person in her life.

Monday morning, Kensi walked into the bull pen. She looked around, noting that at least some things never change. Sam and Callen were bickering. Trey had just gotten the stitches out his head the day before, but she could still see the angry looking wound. Guilt swept through her. She knew there was nothing else she could have done, but it didn't matter.

"Good morning gentlemen. How is everyone today?" She threw her bag down on the desk and looked around. The guys immediately stopped what they were doing and turned to her.

"Morning Kensi. How are you feeling today?" Sam asked her. He had stayed a couple of nights with her at the hospital, but they all knew he had a family at home and Callen had gladly taken most of the nights.

"I'm fine." Callen raised his eyebrows at that response. Deeks wasn't the only one who knew that she defaulted to that when obviously everything was NOT fine. "Kens…" he warned.

"Seriously Callen, I am good. A little sore, achy ribs and a headache every now and then, but for the most part, I am ok."

Callen seemed to take that. She sat down. Trey had yet to say anything to her but was looking at her expectantly.

"Hey Trey. How are you doing?"

"Uh, I'm ah, I'm ok. I got lucky. I'm glad you're okay, Kensi." He blushed a little and looked down, shuffling papers around on the desk and avoiding any further eye contact. Kensi just sighed and shook her head.

Lunch time came and went. The guys were out chasing down a lead and Kensi was busy trying to catch up on paperwork. Deciding she needed to clear her head, she headed for the gym. She knew she couldn't do much right now, her wrist and ribs wouldn't allow it. But the doctor had told her she could walk.

She opened her locker to get her work out clothes and noticed it was a little worse for wear. When had all this crap gotten here? She seriously needed to do some spring cleaning. She decided to get her walking done now. She wasn't that interested in the cleaning part, but knew it needed to be done.

She walked for about 45 minutes, keeping it toned down because of her ribs. When the soreness started turning into actual pain, she decided she had done enough. She quickly showered and changed. Putting her game face on, she knew it was now or never to get her locker cleaned out a little.

The first thing she noticed when she opened the locker was the pile of clothes. Really Kensi, that's ridiculous, she thought to herself. She sorted through the 5 shirts and 4 pairs of work out shorts before something else caught her eye. No wonder the pile looked bigger than normal. Under the pile was a box. Her eyes lit up and she sat down, tearing the paper off.

She couldn't stop the bark of laughter at what awaited her. Staring up at her was a LARGE Wonder Woman coffee mug and what looked like set of Wonder Woman pajama's to go with it. Seriously…could this man be any more perfect, she asked herself, shaking her head. Noticing the purple paper peeking from inside the collar of the shirt, she pulled it out.

_You are my own personal Wonder Woman. Keep up the ass kickin' Ms. Blye (just not mine…let's save that for the bad guys, mmkay?). Smile sunshine! - D_

She put the note and newly acquired jammies into her bag along with the rest of the clothes so she could take it home with her. Taking the bag and her new coffee cup back to her desk, she decided coffee was exactly what she needed right now. She washed the cup and poured the preferred hot beverage of choice.

Sitting at her desk, she finished what paperwork she had and waited for the guys to come back. She hated not being able to go out and help them, but she knew she didn't have a choice in the matter. She sighed, sitting back in her chair.

An hour later, the guys walked back in, victorious once again. Trey looked over at her and noticed the new cup.

"So, Wonder Woman huh? That's cute."

Kensi narrowed her eyes at him. She got up and walked to his _temporary_ desk.

"Is there a problem with that Trey? Anything else you'd like to add to that?"

Callen and Sam were behind Kensi, silently telling him to stop, let it go, it was NOT going to end well for him. Luckily for him, he got the hint.

"Nope, no, not at all. Just an observation. I'm just gonna go…over here." And he walked off, well, it was more of a fast jog. Kensi turned and glared at the other two.

"Not. A. Word."

Both men knew better than to say anything, so they just shook their heads and Kensi grabbed her stuff and left.

"I gotta give it to Deeks, I don't know how he's doing this, but he's one smooth bastard." Sam was genuinely impressed with their Liaison. He may be undercover right now, but he kept finding ways to make sure Kensi smiled.

Callen leaned on his desk, looking at his partner. They had talked the other night about the changing relationship between Kensi and Deeks, but they had not gone too in depth with it.

"G, I see the wheels turning over there. But really, how serious do we need to be with him. Look what he's doing, even gone, he has managed to do whatever it takes to make her smile. Would you have done that for someone?"

"Yeah, this coming from the man who has pretty much taken over care of the damn plant he got her." Callen smirked at him, knowing he had made his point.

"I may be helping out with the fern until he gets back, but that's only because it would break Kensi's heart if it died. She's been through enough already without adding that to it."

"Sam, I'm not saying they shouldn't be together. I know that THAT is inevitable. Do I think he's going to hurt her? No. Am I still going to threaten death and dismemberment? Damn right I am. You going to partake, or keep pruning the fern?"

Callen barely managed to avoid the pen that was thrown at this head.

_AN - not as long, I know, but hopefully you still like it? Let me know what you think! And a certain someone MAY be coming back SOON. ;)_


	9. Chapter 9

_First - I want to thank BlackBeltGirl67 and bookdiva for some of the ideas coming up in the next couple of chapters. Thank you!_

_Disclaimer - not mine._

Week 8

2 months. 8 weeks. 56 days. A few injuries she may or may not have to explain when someone's scruffy ass got back. Inevitable talks. She had so many different things she wanted to tell him, but she had no idea how to get her thoughts lined up correctly so she didn't sound like an auctioneer going 300 miles a minute.

And she was worried that was exactly what was going to happen. She was either going to have word vomit and not be able to shut up or she was going to be unable to speak at all, opening and closing her mouth like a fish. Come on, Blye, this is not hard. _ Deeks, we need to talk_. No no, that sounded like she was going to break up with him, and they weren't even together. _Deeks, I love you_. Yeah no, maybe she could throw that in there somewhere, but she couldn't lead off with that. UGH! Why was this so difficult?! Because you never talk about your feelings Kensi, that's why.

She felt like she had a devil and an angel on each shoulder. The angel telling her it was okay to tell him exactly how she feels. He knew her well enough that he would be able to follow (maybe) the rubbish that was going to literally be falling out of her mouth. The devil was telling her that this was too much, too fast. Maybe she had somehow misread all the looks and smiles he had given her.

The angel scoffed at that. He was away on assignment and still managed to leave her gifts that she could find. And there was NO mistaking that letter she had found in the candy stash box. Kensi smiled at herself, the angel had won. It may not be pretty when it happened, but she needed to just get it all off her chest and tell it to him straight.

Since she hadn't been cleared for field work yet, she usually found herself upstairs trying to help Eric and Nell with…well, whatever they asked her to do. She was out of her element when it came to technology, but she was always willing to lend a hand. She was currently going through phone logs looking for anomalies when the door whooshed open.

"Ms. Blye, a word in my office if you please." Hetty then immediately turned around and walked off.

Kensi looked at Eric and Nell, both of them shrugging their shoulders at her. Kensi just raised her eyebrows, got up and headed downstairs, suddenly getting worried it had to do with her missing in action partner.

"Everything okay, Hetty? Is it Deeks? Is he okay?" She looked expectantly at Hetty, wishing she would just spit it out.

Hetty, for her part, sipped her tea and carefully placed the cup back on the saucer.

"Relax, Ms. Blye," she said. "Nothing is the matter with Mr. Deeks. I was informed by the LAPD this morning that the assignment is almost complete and Mr. Deeks should be home by tomorrow evening."

Kensi couldn't breathe. Tomorrow? He was going to be home tomorrow? She wanted to whoop for joy and throw up at the same time. The butterflies in her stomach had just erupted.

Hetty saw every look ranging from excitement to horror pass over Kensi's face.

"Ms. Blye, when you get finished with what you are working on for Ms. Jones, go ahead and head home. You have the weekend coming up. I know there are probably some preparations you want to make before Mr. Deeks gets home, am I correct?"

Kensi just sat there with her mouth open. How in the hell did she know that? Kensi had been trying to come up with something special for when Deeks came back but she couldn't get a single thought to metabolize into something worthwhile.

Kensi smiled. "Thank you, Hetty."

"Of course, my dear. And I have it on good authority that he likes chocolate cake."

Kensi just laughed, thanked her again and walked back upstairs to finish with Nell.

An hour later, saying good night to the guys, she grabbed her stuff and headed to the store. She may not be able to cook, but she could definitely bake! And what do you know, her basket soon had all the ingredients needed for a chocolate cake.

Getting home and unloading the groceries, Kensi got to work. This was going to be the best damn cake he had ever eaten. As she prepared everything, she started going over her plan.

Ideas were swimming around and it was hard to really pinpoint anything good. And that's when inspiration hit her. As a child, her dad would send her on scavenger hunts for special little things he had gotten her. With a smile on her face, she put the cake in the oven and sat down, ready to send her partner on his own special scavenger hunt, straight to her.

The next morning dawned early. Kensi had been up half the night getting ready to put her ideas to fruition. She had a list of items she needed to get. She had talked to Nell who had agreed to let her know if/when Deeks arrived at the Mission, knowing he was going to have to brief Hetty before going home. Taking a quick shower, she grabbed her stuff and hit the road.

Her first stop was the Mission. She managed to get there before the guys, so no lame excuses were going to have to be made, and for that she was thankful. Walking straight to Hetty's desk, she let her know what her plans were, and Hetty readily agreed to help. With the first part of her plan put into place, she quickly moved onto phase two.

Deeks walked into the Mission, finally allowing himself to relax a little bit. The assignment had been particularly tough, making him become a man he never wanted to be. It wasn't as bad a Max Gentry, but it was damn near close. He had done some things he wasn't proud of, and he knew it would take a while to unwind from it. All he wanted, right now, was his couch, his dog, some food and his partner. But definitely not in that order.

Where the hell is everybody? Bunch of slackers, that's what this is. He walked to his desk and put his bag down and then made his way to Hetty's desk.

"Mr. Deeks, it's good to have you back. I trust everything went according to plan?"

"It went as well as it could go. I'm going to be sore for a few days, but nothing a little time won't fix. Hey, where is everyone? Why is it so quiet around here?"

"I sent everyone home early. They have had a rough few weeks and were in need of some down time. Don't worry, everyone is alright, or will be. Nothing a little time won't fix." Hetty picked up her tea and took a sip as she watched him. She could see the worry appear in his eyes.

"Mr. Deeks, before you leave, have you thought anymore about the papers I gave you?"

Deeks had already stood up and was about to walk away when she said that. Yes, he had thought about it. A great deal. He knew before he left that things were changing between him and his partner. While he was gone, he had missed her every second and cursed LAPD for bringing him in for this.

But could he give up being a cop? Every damn time he asked himself that, he would see her face, hear her laugh, and he knew that yes, he could give it up if it meant never leaving her side again. He fervently hoped that she felt the same way.

"Um, well, yeah, the thought has crossed my mind a time or two." He reached up, scratching the back of his neck and trying but failing to make eye contact with her.

"I can assure you that the team dynamics will not change, Mr. Deeks. As long as things stay status quo, there is no reason to move things around, is there?"

Wait…_what_?! Did she just say that? He met her eyes and saw the twinkle in them. She did. She just gave her blessing for him to pursue something with Kensi. He would be ready to get down on one knee right now of he thought she would say yes. But this was Kensi, his Kensi, and he knew he was going to have to take it slow. And this would be his final surprise to her.

"Oh. Yeah, no, I can assure you that everything will stay the same. I um, yeah, I think I'd like to sign those papers."

Hetty smiled and pulled the paperwork out of her desk, handing him a pen. He scrawled his signature. Taking one last look at his badge and gun, Hetty quickly made the switch for his new NCIS badge and issued gun.

"Welcome to NCIS, Special Agent Deeks." He beamed at her. Yeah, that had a nice ring to it.

"One last order of business and then you can go." She pulled a letter out of her top drawer and handed it to him. "I strongly suggest you read that before you leave here, Mr. Deeks."

He looked down at the letter in his hands and recognized his partner's handwriting. He smiled at Hetty, thanking her again, and walked to his desk, seeing Trey cleaning his stuff off it.

"Hey man, I didn't think I would see you here. Hetty said she sent everyone home. Something about a rough few weeks?"

Trey looked at him and smiled. "Well, I know you will be a sight for sore eyes for everyone. Bates told me a couple of weeks ago that your assignment was coming to a close and to be ready to come back when I got the call. My phone rang about an hour ago, so here I am."

"What happened to your head?" Deeks asked, starting to get a sick feeling in his stomach.

Trey absentmindedly put his hand up, feeling the rough skin where the stitches used to be. He frowned, lost in thought for a minute thinking of everything that had happened that night.

Deeks watched as Trey's eyes glazed over a little and frowned. He knew that look. It was the same look he got on his face every time he thought back to any time Kensi had been hurt or in danger.

"Trey. What happened?" Trey snapped out of it, hearing something in Deeks' voice. Gone was the friendly drawl, replaced with concern but he could still hear the unmistaken hard edge it took.

"Two weeks ago, Kensi and I were on a stakeout, watching a couple arms dealers. Bates had just told me about your mission being over soon. It was the middle of the night and the men had tried to take off. Kensi and I followed and they noticed they had a tail and took off. As soon as they got on the freeway, the passenger started shooting. Before I could get any shots off, bastard hit the tire. Kensi tried but lost control of the vehicle but managed to turn the car a little so her side took most of the impact. I walked away with a bruised elbow and the cut on my head. She wasn't as lucky."

Deeks just looked at him, waiting for him to tell him what exactly the extent of her injuries were.

"She um, she had 3 cracked ribs. Sprained her wrist. But when the car struck the barrier she hit her head on the window and her brain swelled. She was put in a medically induced coma for a couple of days to allow her body to heal and the swelling to come down. When the swelling finally came down and they weaned her off the meds, it was still 4 days before she woke up. Sam, Callen and I never left her alone. Hetty tried to get Bates to tell you what was going on but he refused to pull you out."

Deeks eyes narrowed dangerously and both of his hands balled into fists. That son of a bitch. He had checked in twice a week, always asking for updates on the team and no one had told him.

Kensi had been in a god damn coma, for almost a week, and he should have been there. But he wasn't. He had failed her. And he had never been more sure about his decision to sign those papers than right at that very moment.

Trey could see the anger, feel it coming off of him in waves. And Trey was starting to put some things together in his mind. The look Kensi would get in her eyes when she talked about Deeks was the same one reflecting back at him right now. Even through the fury, he could see the love. Suddenly, everything was clear. And while he now knew he had never stood a chance, he was happy to at least know that the feelings she had were reciprocated.

"Callen was with her when she woke up. I heard him tell Sam that every night he would tell her stories about you. That night, he was telling her about the King case? Anyway, he saw her fingers twitch when he said your name. It took another 15 minutes or so, but finally she woke up. When I got there the next morning to relieve Callen, she had a death grip on a purple piece of paper and a starfish key chain. He said he had tried to move them, but it was useless. When she woke up, the first thing she did was read the paper again."

"Please tell me no one left her alone at the hospital, even after she woke up." Deeks knew that she absolutely hated hospitals and had confessed one night after a few too many beers that she hated being _alone_ in the hospital even more. He couldn't stand it if she had been alone.

"No, I still went every day and Callen stayed every night. She tried everything she could think of to get us to leave, but Callen had warned me that leaving the room for more than 15 minutes would result in physical harm. Kensi may be scary, but I wasn't about to find out what kinds of physical harm would be passed my way if I left."

He relaxed a little. She hadn't been alone. It may not have been him there with her, but they hadn't left her there by herself. For that he was thankful.

"You have a great partner, Deeks. And while I know you could probably kill me six different ways right now, she's an amazing woman but I now realize I never stood a chance."

Deeks just looked at him, a baffled expression adorning his face. Yeah, she was pretty amazing.

"You try something Norton?" he asked suspiciously.

"Tried and failed miserably." With that response, Deeks laughed. The rest of the tension left him knowing no one had come in and swept her off her feet. Shaking hands, Trey got his stuff and went home.

Deeks sat down and wondered what else had happened while he was gone.

He opened the bottom drawer, taking Kensi's candy stash box out and putting it on the desk. Putting the number in to unlock it, he prayed there hadn't been a reason for her to open it. But a quick glance showed he was wrong.

Did she read it before or after the accident? Sighing, he made a mental note to restock the now depleted stash. Well, he was going to have some explaining to do now.

He swiped a hand over his face. On one hand he was hoping that she hadn't found it, that he would be able to pass off the little gifts and notes as nothing but missing his friend and partner.

He also knew the risk of leaving that letter for her. But he knew that if she got into that little box, then she would have been desperate. And he had needed to leave her with something a little more serious, baring his soul just a little more for her, in hopes that maybe it would help whatever she was going through. He picked up the picture he kept of them in there and smiled. Remembering that day, he put the picture back and replaced the box, knowing he had put off the inevitable long enough.

Picking up the letter, he wondered what she had written. His heart sank as he recalled the words he had written.

_If you don't feel the same way, if you feel that now is not the time to bring it up, all you have to do is look at me and shake your head, and I will know. I won't make it awkward for you, for us._

Was this going to be her way of shaking her head? Letting him know that she didn't share the same kinds of feelings? His heart felt like it was about to come out of his chest. It was now or never, he thought as he opened the paper.

_Deeks –_

_When I was little girl, whenever my dad would come home from his missions, he would always bring me a present. Sometimes it was something big, sometimes it was nothing more than a piece of candy from a forgotten place. But it was always something, showing he had thought of me while he was away. He would leave a note for me on my bedside table, making sure it would be the first thing I would see when I woke up. That note would be a clue, which would lead me to another clue, and so on and so forth. _

_You managed to do something similar while you were gone. I may not have had clues as to where I was going to find my next surprise, but you made sure I always had something waiting for me. I am not entirely sure how you did it (I hate to speculate who you bribed and with what) but every single week, you left me something EXACTLY when I needed it. How did you do it? You can't understand what it meant to me. Remember when I told you you have no idea what that little blue box means to a girl? Well, you have no idea what that purple piece of paper means to me. Kind of the same thing, isn't it?_

_So Shaggy. In a time honored tradition, I may or may not have something for you upon your return. Clues if you will. And I happen to know a certain Detective who claims to detect things. So go ahead, Deeks, detect things. I DARE YOU._

_First order of business – Go home. Take a shower. Sit at your dining table. You will know what to do next. _

_I'm glad you're back, Deeks. Smile Sunshine! - Wonder Woman_

Deeks was nothing but smiles. This was better than he could have hoped for. I mean, it didn't sound like she was saying no to their thing. Right? And when had he EVER backed down from a challenge? Well played Kens…Well. Played. But, she was going to get the shock of her life when he told her that she no longer knew Detective Deeks. Until then, though, he would put his detecting skills to use and see what awaited him.

Putting all thoughts of the accident and everything Trey had told him away for the moment, he grabbed his stuff and headed home, ready to keep the time honored tradition alive.

_AN - AND he's back! Let me know what you thought about it! :)_


	10. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer - not mine. :(_

Deeks drove like a madman to get home, eager to get started. He was exhausted, the rush of the assignment having worn off even before he had stepped foot in the mission. But after hearing about Kensi's hospital stay and reading her letter, he was a man on a mission now, the adrenaline pumping through his veins.

He thought over everything he had given her, and the notes to go with them. He had a hell of a debt to pay off to Nell for helping with that, but it was more than worth it. And he was glad the op had ended when it had, or he would have had some serious scrambling to do to get more stuff to her. He had prepared 7 gifts with notes for her, 8 if you counted the code to the secret stash and the letter that went with it. He had entrusted Nell the _very _important task of knowing exactly when to place said items. And it seemed she had been spot on, every time. He wondered when she would want him to pay up… and what exactly the payment would be.

_I would give her my soul if she asked for it_, he thought to himself.

He was unprepared for this turn of events though. Sure, he had left her little things in hopes of making her smile while he was gone, but here she was, surprising the hell out of him. He thought back to the letter. She had opened up, telling him a just a little more of her childhood with her dad. And now, he was racing home to go on his own adventure, set up completely by her. The love he felt for her grew even more, and he had no idea how that was possible.

Parking the car and practically running up to his door, he paused for a just a minute. What he was about to do, the quest he was about to embark on, it was going to change his life. He could feel that. When he completed his task of figuring out her clues, which would hopefully lead to the one thing he wanted more than anything else in this world, _her_, it would be forever. And he was more than ready for it.

Smiling, he opened the door. He could smell pizza. Interesting. But, careful to follow her instructions to the tee, he put his stuff down and immediately went to the bathroom and turned the shower on. Allowing the steam to fill the room, he stepped in and let the hot water wash away his alias, feeling more like himself every minute that passed. Hearing his stomach growl, he quickly dried off and dressed.

He followed the smell of pizza back to the table. As he sat down, he saw a note on top of the box. FIRST, EAT. THEN READ. Well, who was he to argue? Tearing open the box, and noticing the pizza was still pretty hot, he dug in, eating with a frenzy. He was a lot hungrier than he realized. He looked over, noticing a still cold beer next to what looked like…was that…dear god, it was a piece of chocolate cake. Finishing off the pizza and taking a swig of beer, he opened the letter.

_Deeks – I am 99% sure you were ravenous when you got home. Did you even TASTE the pizza? And I have it on good authority you like chocolate cake. I may not be able to actually cook, but I can bake with the best of them. While you eat it, savor it, and think of me. When you get done, look at the bottom of the plate. Smile Sunshine! - SugarBear_

She actually MADE the cake? For him? He didn't care if it tasted like cement, he was going to do exactly what she said and savor every damn bite, thinking of her.

He scooted the plate towards him, taking a tentative sniff. Okay, it smelled good. Like _good_ good. Lifting the fork to his mouth, he made a noise he is not sure he has ever heard before, something between a moan and a growl, and his eyes rolled to the back of his head. This was the best damn cake he had ever eaten. Yep, that's it, he was going to lock her in the apartment and make her bake for him every single day. He almost choked on the cake he was in the middle of swallowing when he had that thought. She would have no qualms poisoning him with a smile on her face. Beautiful and deadly.

Finishing the cake off a little quicker than he had planned (he actually heard himself whimper when the fork was clean), he took the last sip of his beer and turned the plate over, just as instructed. There it was, a pale blue piece of paper.

_You remembered all of my favorite doughnuts. I had gone to your favorite surfing spot that morning and sat on the beach, hoping I could see you out there, thinking of you. I realized that day that if the situations had been reversed, and I was out there, I would want you to _try_ and be happy. Which was what you were trying to do for me. So thank you._

_Clue – You jump, I jump, remember?_

He reread her words before standing up, letting the words sink in. This was sounding very close to an I Missed You, and the old Kensi wouldn't do that. Was this the new Kensi? Something told him yes.

_Ok princess, you made the first one kind of easy, huh? Just getting warmed up or worried my detecting skills aren't up to par? _

He could see the smirk on her face as he thought that. _What detecting skills Deeks? I basically GAVE you the answer to the first clue. _

Walking over to his TV stand, he leaned down until he found what he was looking for. Pulling out Titanic, he opened up to find a picture looking up at him. A beautiful picture of him and Kensi. It was the same picture she had on her nightstand that she didn't know he knew about. Smiling down at it he remembered being taken aback when he had seen it.

He was heading to the bathroom one night and when he had passed her room, he noticed the door was open. Taking a quick glance, because anything else and she would have known something was up, his eyes immediately landed on the picture. He stood there for a few seconds before getting his wits about him and hurrying along. But he had never forgotten seeing the picture of them on her nightstand.

Turning the photo over, he took the pale blue paper off the back.

_I know you know about this and where it's located. I saw you stop that night and look at it. I watched the smile that crossed your face and I saw how you quickly snapped out of it and went along your way. And you know that I know about the one in your drawer. I wanted to add to the collection._

_Clue: THAT'S for hitting my partner!_

He sat there, thinking about when he said that. Stanley King had hit Kensi, he had hit Stanley King. His hand had throbbed for days, and the bruise on her jaw was there just as long. He had brought over burgers, beers and a shake.

Something clicked. Burgers…beers…a shake. There had been a beer on the table at dinner, and he knew he hadn't left any in the fridge when he went undercover. Walking over and throwing the door open, he gazed lovingly into the fridge, the six pack minus one eyeing him. Pulling it out and taking the lid off a new beer (he had a feeling he was going to need it), he noticed the blue paper in the empty slot.

_I was going to get you a little gift for this one, but I felt like the beer was gift enough. Because sometimes, the only thing that keeps me sane is the knowledge that at the end of the night, YOU will show up at my house with nothing more than beer. And that's more than enough for me._

_Clue – Eyes are a way into something._

So, all she needed was him. And beer of course. And food. But mainly him and beer. He was definitely going to keep that in mind. Because there was nothing else he loved more than sitting next to her on the couch, watching either Titanic, America's Next Top Model, or whatever she felt like that night. Popping open beers together. Feet on the coffee table and waiting on the take out to arrive. It was as close to Heaven as he has ever been. Because it was real. It was _them_. And on the evenings he showed up after a particularly rough day, he could always see the hope, the gratitude, and the _relief_ in her beautiful mismatched eyes and he wondered as he often did if she could see into his soul.

That's it! _The eyes are in the window to the soul_. What the hell. How is that a clue? Where the hell was it pointing him? He read over it again and looked up. Standing in the middle of his kitchen, he slowly started turning in a circle, taking in everything he was looking at. He eyes finally fell on the curtains covering his windows.

There's a reason I used to be a Detective, he thought. He felt a twinge for a minute, remembering that that part of his life was over.

Being a cop, as much as he thought it was what defined him, couldn't compare to Kensi.

The book of his life had finished another chapter, and the open expanse of blank pages ahead of him would have been daunting if he didn't have the knowledge that the chapters beforehand—outlining a story of how two strangers had met, partnerships had developed, evolving into friendship—had created a bond so strong that nothing could sever it. Those words had set up this new chapter of his – _their_ – life.

He wasn't stupid though. He knew that the future chapters would be filled with laughter and jokes, dates and all the firsts that would come, but also sorrow and heartache, trials and tribulations. Yet he knew as sure as he was breathing, that no matter what, as long as she was by his side, they could make it through anything life threw their way.

Walking to the window, he opened the curtains, but there wasn't anything there. He did the same with the other set of windows in the living room/kitchen area, but it more of the same. Nothing. Did he misread the clue? Surely not.

The window in his bedroom. That's where it had to be. Quickly turning and making his way into the darkened room, he opened the curtains and couldn't help the full belly laugh that came. Sitting there, on the edge of the window, was the fern he had given her. Impressed that she had actually been able to keep it alive, he picked up the paper that was peeking out from underneath it.

_You are owed a good ole fashioned ass-whooping for this Deeks. I killed a damn cactus. You knew this! What possessed you to get me another plant!? You must not have told them who it was for. Did you laugh at my mug shot behind the counter? Asshole._

_Also, did you know that there are about 1400 books on how to care for plants at the nursery? Yes, I bought several how-to books on plant upkeep (by the way, you owe me $32.50 for the cost of said books). Apparently, ferns do NOT like direct sunlight, and they like humid places. I ended up taking this to work with me, and Sam was instrumental in helping keep it alive. Thank him later. Now, I am bestowing this Fern to you. It will be your job to take of it, make sure it gets the love and attention it needs. Fern can be the best plant you'll ever have as long as you have the patience to let it grow._

_Clue – Justin, Melissa and a slight disagreement on how things are done._

His mouth hung open. She was giving herself to him. That was the only thought he could get his brain to form right now. He reread the note about 7 times. He would gladly take the ass-whooping she was going to dish out because the end reward for it was worth it. He thought of the words she had written. _As long as it gets the love and attention it needs_. Oh, it absolutely would. And he definitely knew he had the patience to let her/them grow. Together. Who knew, when he had decided on this gift, that it would turn his whole world around. He took her words to heart and grabbed _his_ fern, putting it on the dresser, out of direct sunlight.

Thinking of the clue, he looked around. They had several disagreements on how things were done. She dragged a chair across the carpet to make it look like she had vacuumed. Seriously, who does that? He didn't have a vacuum, though, so he knew it wasn't that. He disagreed with the way snicker doodles were made, too. You were supposed to actually make them, not open a box. Remembering the cake, he was going to make her show him those baking skills she had bragged about and see if she could make the cookies from scratch. If it was a tenth of how the cake came out, it would be totally worth it.

_Come on Deeks, back on track!_ Disagreements…disagreements. His mind wandered back to the time he was able to call her his wife. Laundry. The hell? That was way more than a _slight _disagreement. She had turned his whites purple. PURPLE. Like _Barney_ the freaking _dinosaur_. Ok, so that had to be the answer. He walked to his washing machine, nothing. Opened the dryer, but it was empty. Laundry, laundry. He snapped his fingers. Got it!

Walking back to his room, he started opening his drawers. On the fourth drawer, he found it. A plastic bag sat on top. Pulling it out, he glanced in and almost dropped the bag. Did she really? He completely underestimated her. He couldn't stop the laughter as he pulled out a pair of boxers sporting lions on them with the words RAWR written on the back. She never ceased to amaze him. Taking the note that was pinned on his new favorite pair of boxers, he sat down on the bed and read.

_If this isn't perfect, I don't know what is. My jungle cat needs to be properly attired. And not in something that I can turn purple. From here on out, I am delegating the laundry job to you. _

_Clue – dark wood_

He realized quickly that these little notes she was leaving had other meaning to them. She was very carefully telling him that she had feelings for him. Some of the notes were more serious, telling him she had missed him and letting him get a glimpse into her thoughts, others were just her choice of words and phrases. MY jungle cat. Delegating laundry, like he would be doing hers too. Which he was totally fine with. Telling him how to take care of the fern. She was letting him know that she was ready to go down the same path together. The communication problem they had seemed to be working itself out.

Putting his thinking cap back on, he got back to business. He mentally inventoried his house, realizing he had nothing in his place with dark wood. What the hell was she talking about? He walked through his apartment, looking at everything. Trying to put the pieces together. He had lighter wood furniture. She knew that. His eyes scanned the bookcase, looking for something that would give him another clue but found nothing. He opened cabinets in the kitchen, checked the bathroom (for what, he had no idea), looked under the couch and his bed.

_Well well sunshine. You did good with this one. Really making me put those detective skills to use. _

The clue obviously wasn't something in his house, at least not that he could see. He thought back through the gifts he had given her. There were the flowers on her desk, the box of twinkies. The fern and box of doughnuts. None of this equaled dark wood. And at that moment, the light bulb suddenly went off. The gun cleaning kit. He had replaced her dad's dark wood kit for a lighter wood version, complete with her initials and Always Smile.

Walking back into his bedroom, he went into his closet and found his own cleaning kit. However, the sunshine of his life had decided to put a freakin' chain around it with a lock attached. Shaking his head, he took it down off the shelf. _At least I gave her the damn combination to get into it. _

It amazed him sometimes, the way her mind worked. He tried the one combo he knew and wasn't surprised when it worked. Does she know the significance of the 143 combination? It was an easy number for him to remember, considering it was locking up _her_ stuff. He would have to ask her about that.

Opening the lid and removing the top shelf, he looked down. She is the most amazing woman alive. Picking up the surfboard keychain, he noted the craftsmanship of it and his favorite blue paper rolled up into the key ring. The picture reflected the beach, showing the sun setting, a palm tree, sand and of course the waves. It wasn't cheesily done, like something you find at one of the shell shops that littered the streets near the beach. This one was smooth, glazed over and you could tell hand-crafted and hand painted. He turned it over and wasn't surprised to see the initials of the artist who made it.

Taking the keychain to the living room, the first thing he did was put it on his key ring. He gazed at it for a minute before opening the letter.

_I'm impressed Deeks. I was hoping you would figure out that last one without having to call me for another clue. You looked under the bathroom cabinet, didn't you? Why would you do that? At least you figured it out._

_I know I am generally closed off and hide my feelings, but I realized something while you were gone. I am not really happy unless you are here with me. I never fully appreciated the little things you do for me. But I promise I will never take them for granted again. I hope you enjoyed the notes I left and the gifts accompanying them. And I pray that the notes I left were able to say what we both know I have trouble with._

_In saying that, the gift you just got was also your last clue. I'll be waiting. Smile Sunshine! -Kiki_

Yeah Kens, those notes told me a lot, he thought to himself.

He couldn't wait to see her, watch as her eyes light up as she laughs. He could see them holding hands walking down the beach, kissing as the waves lapped at their feet, the sun setting behind them. He could easily picture many nights on the couch, doing their normal routine of beers and bad TV, but instead of sitting there, careful not to touch each other, he would be holding her in his arms, and there was nothing that sounded better. Except for that to happen, he needed to figure out this last clue.

Looking at the surfboard on his keys, he smiled and grabbed his new badge and gun, noticing on the way out that his normal surfboard wasn't in its usual spot. As he jogged to his car, he was almost giddy with excitement.

As he turned the car on, he wondered which beach she had gone to before remembering her letter. She had gone to his favorite surfing spot in hopes of seeing him, so he would make sure that happened.

10 minutes later, he pulled into a parking spot, somehow being able to park next to Kensi's new SRX. He sat there a minute, looking out at the waves. His eyes scanned the shoreline until they landed on the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Sitting on a blanket, he watched as the wind swirled her hair around her shoulders. She would look around every once in a while, checking to see if he was here yet. He could see the tension in her shoulders, and he wondered what part she was nervous about. He couldn't take it any longer. Getting out of the car, he slowly walked over to where she was sitting.

"Hey princess, did you miss me?"

_AN - I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I am working on the next one, and I hope everyone is patient with me as it may take an extra day to get out. Let me know your thoughts and if there's anything you would like to see when they finally have their talk! :)_


	11. Chapter 11

_Before anything else, I want to say THANK YOU to bookdiva who read over this for me (and the last one, too) and helped me make sense of my crazy rambling. _

_Disclaimer - again...really, not mine._

Kensi sat on the blanket, watching the waves. She was hoping Deeks was having fun, figuring out the clues she had left him. She had decided to try and put something personal on each note, letting her real feelings show a little at a time so by the time he got to her, things were a little less weird. They would each have an idea where the other stood, and they would hopefully skip over the awkward unsure stage. She was sure she would touch on it, of course, but hopefully they wouldn't dwell on it.

She would glance around every now and then, looking to see if he had pulled up yet. She had brought the cake with her, and every so often she would take a couple of bites. _Come on, I've been sitting here for a couple of hours, the least he can do is share the damn thing. _

She listened to the waves break onto the shore. There were a few souls out on the water, but it wasn't really conducive for surfing today. She hadn't checked the forecast this morning (she had had WAY too many other things to think about) but she had brought Deeks' board just in case. If the waves were good, than he could have gone out there and surfed his heart out. There were few things she loved more than watching him out on the water. The way his body became one with the board, how it almost seemed his soul became one with the water. There were days, if you looked hard enough, you almost couldn't tell where the water ended and Deeks began. She was mesmerized every time she had the privilege of watching him.

Feeling the wind on her face and lost in thought, Deeks _almost_ got the drop on her. If it wasn't for his smell, his _god damn smell_, he would have nailed the execution. Even with the wind whirling around her, she couldn't escape it. She breathed deep as she heard the very familiar drawl of her partner.

"Hey princess, did you miss me?"

She closed her eyes for a minute, thinking back to all the times while he was gone that she had worried she would never hear his voice again.

She felt him sit down beside her and before she knew what she was doing, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on for dear life.

She could feel his initial shock. Whatever it was he had been expecting, it wasn't this. She felt his hands tentatively settle on her back, and when Kensi didn't let go after a few seconds, burying her face in his neck, she felt him fully wrap his arms around her, pulling her onto his lap.

She could feel the tears pricking the back of her eyes. This, the feeling of his arms around her, his hands smoothing her hair, hearing him murmur words into her neck, this was home. And she had no idea exactly how much she _needed_ it until right now.

They stayed like that for a few minutes. Kensi - face buried in his neck and her arms tight, hanging on like her life depended on it - was almost shaking with need. She could feel his breath on her skin and it sent shivers across her body.

"Kensi sweetheart, it's okay. I'm right here."

She nodded and gathered all her strength to pull away, disentangling their limbs and sat back down next to him, immediately missing his touch. She looked into his beautiful blue eyes for first time in 8 weeks. Smiling shyly, she told him the only thing she could right now.

"I missed you Deeks."

She could see the shock in his eyes, quickly turning to joy.

"I missed you, too, Princess. And as much as I would love to sit here and stare at you, I think we need to talk."

She nodded and looked down at her hands, tangled within themselves on her lap. She had known, of course, that they would talk. She just didn't know where to start.

"I think the most obvious question here is why the hell did you not tell me you could bake?! Good ole Mr. Hobbs may have been less likely to try and kill us if you had _actually_ made the snicker doodles. Why would you hold out on me like that?"

She looked up at him, seeing the most glorious smile adorning his face and his eyes twinkling at her, and she couldn't help but laugh. Of course he would lead off with that.

At that moment, she had no idea why she was nervous. This was Deeks, her partner, her best friend, her other half. Just because she had some startling revelations while he was gone didn't mean that _they_ would change.

"Gotta keep you on your toes somehow Deeks. Can't let you think you know _all_ my secrets." She smirked at him, watching as the smile slowly left his face while he took her in. She still had a pretty nasty bump on the side of her head that, even after 2 weeks, hadn't gone completely away. His fingers ghosted over her head, showing nothing but gentleness. Did he know what happened?

"Deeks, I'm okay. I'm sitting right here, next to you. Whatever happened before this doesn't matter." Well, it did matter. It mattered that he had to leave to go back to LAPD. It mattered that she had to put her life into an almost strangers hands because he wasn't there. It mattered that he wasn't by her side when she finally woke up.

And, damn it, it mattered that even though he was away, he had gone above and beyond to make her smile. It mattered that every time she thought she was going to lose herself to the dark, he brought her back with a pale purple piece of paper. It mattered that he knew her almost more than she knew herself. And it definitely mattered that while she was on this self-imposed journey, she had found him. While not there physically, he had not left her side. _Even if you can't see me, I'll be there._

He took a deep breath and looked at her. She appreciated his attempts at humor at times like this, and she wasn't disappointed. He raised his eyebrows and sat back on his hands.

"So Sugarbear. You planning on sharing my cake with me?"

"Leaving you a piece for dessert was sharing. Don't get used to it."

His eyebrows almost shot off his forehead.

"So then, uh, I'm assuming you have another kind of dessert you were planning on sharing with me?" His smirk said it all. She answered with a punch to the shoulder.

"Shut up Deeks." Oh come on. After all this, that's the best she could come up with? She was going to need to work on that. Apparently 'smart ass' is a use-it-or-lose-it language. She needed to step up her game. But if he wasn't around, who was she supposed to practice with?

"You know, Kensalina that would have been the perfect place to use touché."

"Touché."

She thought she heard something very close to "some things never change" under his breath, but he was smart enough not to voice it too loud.

She looked away from him, settling back on her hands, mirroring him. They sat in silence for a couple of minutes. She knew he was waiting on her to initiate the conversation.

"My dad. That's where I learned to bake. His sweet tooth could rival mine. So, when he was away on missions, I started making different things, adding ingredients here and there to make it a little more unique. I always had a new concoction waiting for him when he got home. He would take the first bite of whatever I had made and then pick me up, twirl me around and tell me it was the best thing he had ever had."

Before she could even register what was happening, Deeks had pulled her up by her hands and gently wrapped his arms around her, twirling her around. She couldn't help but laugh as she held on. When he put her down, he looked into her eyes and, with sincerity she hadn't seen since her dad died, he whispered "Kens, it's the absolute best _thing_ I have ever had."

It was like she had no filter on her emotions. Caught between laughing and crying, she managed a strangled sob. She pulled away, attempting to get control of herself, knowing that wasn't going to happen as long as he was holding her. And she couldn't afford to let her emotions get the best of her right now.

Wiping her eyes and taking deep breaths, she barely managed to pull herself together before she felt his hand rest on her shoulders. She felt his thumbs slowly stroking the back of neck, and it helped her relax.

"How do you do that, Deeks? Know exactly what I need before even I do?" She stepped away and turned to look at him. Mismatched brown eyes met and held his clear blue ones.

"You were gone on an undercover assignment, yet you still managed to… you sent me presents Deeks. And notes."

"Well, yeah. I know. I _was_ the one who set it up." Confusion was clouding his eyes now.

"That's what I'm talking about!"

"Alright, I'm not gonna lie here princess. I don't think I am following you on this," he said, his brow furrowed. "Yes, I sent you notes and presents. I thought you would like it. Is that a problem?" Hesitation was creeping into his voice. His eyes had lost some of the sparkle, and she could have kicked herself for doing that.

Sighing she plopped back down on the blanket, taking the fork and shoving another bite of cake into her mouth. He sat across from her, knees bent, resting his chin on his arms. She took another bite of the cake and absentmindedly held the fork up to him to take.

"Uh, Kens. Just to be clear, it IS safe for me to take this fork, right?" That damn smirk was going to be the death of her. She nodded, and he took the fork, grabbed a bite of cake and put it up to his mouth, never taking his eyes off of hers. His grin turned cocky when he noticed her eyes drift down to his mouth. "What, is there cake on my mouth? Wanna lick it off?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her, and she landed a light punch to his arm. Laughing a little at her antics, he looked out at the ocean and then back at her, turning serious.

"Kensi, I meant every single word I put in those notes. I may not have been here in person, but I wanted to know that no matter what, you would smile at least once a day. I _needed_ to know that in order to keep going. Whether it was because of a gift, or _thinking_ about a gift, it didn't matter why, just that it was. You are the most important person in my life, and I needed you to know that I hadn't forgotten about you, about us. Even though at the time I wasn't sure what kind of "us" I would be coming back to. Which, really, I'm still not sure. I know what you wrote in the notes, and I know what I _hoped_ you were trying to tell me, but Kens, I am going to need you to tell me what you _actually_ mean. Tell me what you _want_."

This was it, the moment of truth. Seriously, their communication sucked sometimes. Although he seemed much better at it right now. Suddenly, the cake was feeling like cement in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't tear her eyes away from his, seeing her heart's desire staring back at her. And just like that, her nerves were gone. She had practiced this so many times since he had been gone it was almost second nature to open up to him.

"For the first two weeks, I managed to show up here at least 9 of those 14 days. I would sit right here on the sand watching for you and stare at the water for hours, hoping you would miraculously show up. I know it was a fool's dream to think that, but those first two weeks… I can't explain it. This was the closest I could get to you. I wasn't thinking straight at work, but luckily my distractions never caused any issues out in the field. One morning, after a particularly rough night, I watched the sun come up. I thought of Jack, and how it had felt when he left for war."

She watched his face fall at the mention of her ex-fiancée. Reaching out, she took his hand in hers, holding tight.

"I realized that morning that whatever it was I felt for Jack, it was _nothing_ compared to what I feel for you. He left, and it killed me both times. The first time, he would call me or send me an email every once in a while, just to let me know he was still alive. The second time, my happiness was the last thing he was concerned with. But you… damn it Deeks! You left to go undercover and yet getting to me to smile was your main concern. No one has _ever_ done that for me, with the exception of my dad."

She got up and started pacing. The words were flowing out of her now and she was hoping he was able to keep up, because there was no way she was going to be able to make sense of it later.

"The gifts and the notes were incredible. You get me like no one else has before. But it was the reason behind the words that made me smile. Except for the fern, which we will get to later. I mean c'mon Deeks. A _fern_? You have no idea the level of crazy I almost went to trying to figure out how to keep it alive. If it wasn't for Sam, I don't know what I would have done. But that's not the point." She spun towards him, almost accusingly. "The point is you got me freakin' Twinkies while on an assignment." She turned and started pacing again. "And chocolate, however I would have liked to find that one the normal way, not because Callen gave them to me in the hospital."

She looked over at him and saw the serious face, eyebrows furrowed. God she loved him and he didn't even know it yet. He was trying so hard to make sense of the rambling that was literally pouring out of her. She softened her face and gave him a small smile.

"The point is you care, Deeks, in a way I never thought anyone would. If the little notes and gifts hadn't told me that, the letter you wrote me and put in my stash did. The night I opened it, I had gone undercover to catch a rapist. It was all going to plan until he deviated from his normal routine and knocked me out, dragging me to an alley."

She saw the fear and anger cloud his vision and she hurried along, hoping to put his mind at ease. "The guys showed up immediately and nothing happened other than a torn dress. But I was a mess. Maybe it was because you _weren't_ there, but I needed you more than I ever have before. The guys took him back to the boat house and I headed back to OPS. I sat there for a minute, just staring at your desk and jonesing for some candy. I remembered you had some somewhere in your desk so I went hunting. Seeing that picture you keep in there made me smile for the first time that day. I pulled the letter out and ended up driving to your apartment. I put your LAPD shirt on and sat on the couch, crying as I read the words."

She stopped and took a breath. Remembering everything about that night, she couldn't stop the tears from coming. Deeks grabbed her hand and pulled her back down to him, making her sit directly in front of him. He intertwined their fingers together, both of them needing the contact.

"You are an infuriating, annoying pain in the ass. But while you were gone, I figured out that the reason I get so jealous when you flirt with other woman, why I blush every time you say something completely inappropriate, is because I love you. I love you so much that it hurts when you aren't there. And you being gone while I came to terms with this made the hurt so much worse. But after everything that happened, the only thing that would hurt worse is to try and go back to the way we used to be. I love you, Deeks. Every little infuriating, annoying thing about you. Because you are the most absolute wonderful man on this Earth who knows _exactly_ how to make me smile."

Kensi could feel herself shaking. What the holy hell did I just do? She hadn't planned on telling him that just yet. Maybe just that she kind of liked him? She knew this was going to happen. She had started talking and then every little thing comes out, unable to make complete sentences or use proper English.

"Look, if that was…" she was cut off by her partners lips as they pressed against hers. She was stunned for a minute but then wrapped her arms around his neck, as his arms snaked around her waist. She felt herself being lifted onto his lap and she smiled against his lips. Once she was settled, they pulled back, foreheads resting against each other.

"It was perfect sweetheart. I'm not going to lie, I think I was lost for a minute, but I found my way back. It's kinda hard to misinterpret I Love You. And for the record, I totally said it to you first." She pulled back and looked questioningly at him. All he did was smile at her.

"The code to the lock - 143. The numbers equal the letters in each word. So, in essence, I said I love you first. And I do love you Kensi, so damn much."

His eyes turned serious, but his hands never stopped the stroking motion they were currently doing on her back.

"You were the first thing I thought about when I woke up, the last thing I thought about when I went to sleep, and you pretty much occupied everything in between. I knew we were getting closer when I got called away, and I hoped that by sending you those things, it would help remind you that I was still here, that I was coming back to you. If nothing else, the thought that you were smiling somewhere because of me helped get me through." He kissed her lips again, just for a second, before pulling back. "I promise, Kensi, I will never leave you again."

Her eyes turned down, unable to look at him. "You can't promise that Deeks. LAPD could call you back at any time." He didn't say anything. He knew this was the perfect moment to tell her that he was no longer Detective Deeks, but his mind formed an even better plan. He just kissed her again.

"So Princess, tell me, what kind of dessert did you have in mind tonight?" She laughed as she punched him again and he feigned hurt. He should have known that was coming.

"Hey, when are you going to get Monty? I really missed him." He pretended to think about it for a minute.

"I think if I leave now, I can get to the Puppy Palace before they close." She had started putting everything back in her bag. He grabbed the cake and her free hand while she picked her bag up. Smiling, hand in hand, they walked to their cars.

While Kensi was putting everything in her car, she didn't notice Deeks pull out a pale purple piece of paper, scribbling like a madman on it and folding it up, putting it in his newly acquired NCIS badge. When she turned around, he had her trapped against the car, hands on her hips. He kissed her with every ounce of love he could pour into it, and she returned it tenfold. She knew she would never tire of this feeling.

"If you don't hurry, you won't make it to pick up Monty." She could feel the smirk on his mouth.

"What, getting tired of me already?"

She turned serious. "No. I will never get tired of you. But I won't hesitate to hand over that ass-whooping you have owed to you if you don't get a move on. You may have had pizza earlier, but I haven't eaten yet. So get a move on." She laughed when he lifted an eyebrow and made a pointed look to the cake. "Don't say it."

"Okay, I won't say it. But _please_ know I am thinking it." She kissed him once more before pushing him away and she went to get into her car.

"Oh, hey Kens, can you hold onto this for me? If you get to my place before me, you just throw it on the counter."

She was so lost in her thoughts, hearing him tell her I love you over and over in her head, she automatically grabbed the badge he was handing her and climbed into her seat. As she was driving off, she looked into her rear view mirror, making eye contact with him. She watched as he brought his hand up, using his fingers to show her the numbers 143. She blew a kiss back at him, smiling, and made the turn where they would go opposite directions.

5 minutes later, sitting at a red light, she looked over at the badge. Why the hell did he give this to me? He _never_ leaves without it, even when he is off duty. Unless he's undercover. Forehead wrinkling, she kept glancing at it, worried about why he had left it with her.

The second she pulled into his apartment, she slammed the car in park and grabbed the badge. Opening it up, much as she had at the hospital all those years ago when he was shot, she couldn't contain the gasp that left her. A piece of pale purple fell out of it, revealing the letters NCIS.

_AN - So...tell me what you thought? Please? Hope the talk lived up to your expectations. _


	12. Chapter 12

_Thank you to bookdiva for looking this over and moresassythanclassy for some ideas! You ladies are amazing! Thank you! Also, a HUGE thank you to everyone who has reviewed/followed/favorite this story. Y'all are awesome!_

_Disclaimer hasn't changed...still not mine._

She sat there with her mouth open. Her mind was completely unable to make a coherent thought. She would look from the note to the badge and back again. She was pretty sure if someone had looked at her, sitting in the car staring into space, they would have thought she was a real life bobble-head.

She would have thought she'd have a thousand questions going through her head, but at the moment, there was literally nothing there.

And that's exactly how Deeks found her 15 minutes later. His badge in one hand, the purple paper in another. He walked up to her car and sighed, knowing this could have happened when he decided on this course of action. Jogging with Monty up to his apartment so his furry companion didn't have to witness this, he grabbed a Twinkie and went back outside.

Knocking on the window and getting no response, he opened the passenger side and climbed in. She looked up for half a second then continued with staring at the badge.

"Deeks… I… uh…." Yeah, he was gonna have to help her with this.

"Read the note, Princess." He gently nudged her arm to help pull her back to reality.

She nodded at him, letting him know that she understood. Taking deep breaths, and now taking her eyes back and forth between Deeks and badge, she managed to set it down. Shaking, she had to use both hands to open the note.

_To My Partner_

_In our line of work, I can't guarantee that I will never leave you. But with this badge, by signing those papers, I _can_ guarantee I will _never_ voluntarily leave you. You are my partner at work, my partner in crime, and now my partner in life. I love you. Smile Sunshine! - D_

He watched as her eyes misted up again and a small smile adorned her face. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the paper for a good 3 minutes. He sat there patiently, waiting for movement. As soon as she looked up at him, her eyes still not completely clear but a little better than before, he put his finger under her chin and brought his lips to hers, sealing the promise he made in his note. Pulling back, he unwrapped the Twinkie and handed it to her.

"I love you Kensi. And I will never willingly leave you. I signed those papers as soon as I got back today. Before I knew about your accident, before the scavenger hunt, before the beach and before you told me you love me. What you said to me today? It wasn't what made me decide to do this, although it's an added bonus. Okay?"

She looked into his eyes, and leaned in to kiss him. Her senses were starting to come back to her, and she knew that it was exactly what she needed to do. She needed that connection more than anything right now.

"Deeks, I thought… I thought being a cop was who you are?" Her eyes danced between happiness and panic.

"Yeah, I used to think that. But being with you, Kens, that's who I am, what I _need_. Thinking about you while I was gone, that could have gotten me killed." He saw the guilt wash over her face. "It wasn't because of something you did or did not do. It was because I was constantly worried about you. I can't put myself or anyone else in that position again. If I am going undercover, I _need_ to know that you are the one watching my back. Just like I _need_ to be there to watch yours. This" he pointed between them "this is real, and it's what gets me going in the morning and keeps me on my toes during the day. It's what helps me sleep at night and what I dream about."

He kissed her once again, tenderly, passionately. She responded with fervor, running her hands through his hair at his neck. Hearing her moan, Deeks pulled back, unhappy with the console between them.

"Come on Princess, let's go inside. There's a special someone up there waiting for you."

Her eyes lit up immediately. "Monty!" She jumped out, grabbing the remaining cake from the backseat. Walking around the car, she smiled as she realized just how perfect today had been.

"I love you Deeks." Pecking her on the lips, he returned the sentiment and opened the door.

She was immediately attacked by a jumping mound of fur. Laughing, she handed Deeks the cake to put in the kitchen and squatted down, rubbing Monty's tummy and ears as fast as she could. He was so excited to see her he couldn't stop licking her hand. She laughed, telling him 'good dog, good boy' as Monty ran to the bedroom and back, ready for another round of love. Deeks stood in the kitchen, watching his girlfriend play with his dog.

"Hey Kens, just so you know, I am making this _thing_ official. I love you, you love me. There's nothing else to it. You okay with that?" His eyes almost held a challenge to them. She stopped what she was doing, and answered as best she could.

"I love you Deeks. What made you think I wouldn't (would) be anything but okay with that?" She smirked at him, walking past him to get a beer when she turned and slapped him on the ass. "Now, Mr. Official, I need some food. Remember my instructions on taking care of Fern? Well, I do believe that it's your duty to love and take care of me, so, get on that." She saw the wicked gleam in his eye and right before he pounced on her, she shrieked and ran, Deeks chasing her, laughing manically.

She had anticipated the chase. What she had NOT anticipated was being unable to get his bedroom door open. All of a sudden his hands were on her, tickling her and she couldn't stop laughing, powerless to stop it.

Doing the only thing she knew how at the moment, she dropped her weight, falling completely to the floor. Deeks, unsuspecting of her latest move, ended up falling with her, landing on top of her. They laid there like that for a minute, laughing at each other. Deeks brought his hand up, wiping the hair away her face and then settling his hand on her cheek. All laughter now gone, she brought her hands up to his arms, grasping them as he lowered his mouth to hers. It was like the room exploded and fireworks erupted around them. Nothing compared to this for either one of them. Their hands explored, tongues dueled. He felt her hand lift the hem of his shirt up, and he was brought back to reality.

Slowly breaking the kiss that he was pretty sure could have gone on forever, he started peppering her face, eyes, and neck with light kisses. Kensi just laid there, moving her hands up and down his back, feeling the muscles tremble where her fingers played. Both got control of their breathing and looked at each other.

"Kensi, believe me, there is nothing else I would love more in this world than to take you into my bedroom and do what I only thought I would dream about. But we are doing this right. We are going on at least one date before you rip my clothes off." His eyes sparkled with merriment and she smirked.

"You sure you _want_ me in my clothes Deeks?" she asked, watching his eyes grow darker.

"Not really." He licked his lips while staring at hers. She cleared her throat and almost giggled at the look on his face, shaking her head.

"C'mom Deeks, I was serious about being hungry." He stood and helped pull her to him. Putting a little more sway than normal into her hips, she walked back to the kitchen and grabbed her beer. "Two choices here Shaggy. Food or the rest of this cake is mine" she challenged him.

Grabbing his phone, he made a quick call their favorite Chinese restaurant down the street. After placing their orders and being told it was going to be about 15 minutes, they both agreed that walking Monty while picking up the food would kill two birds with one stone. Picking up their food and walking hand in hand on the way back, both were startled when Kensi had to suddenly stop and sit down for a minute.

"What is it, what's going on Kensi? Can I get you anything? What do you need?" She had her head in her hands, trying to get her bearings.

"I just need a minute. I'm okay Deeks. It's an after effect of the concussion I had. I get real dizzy for a couple minutes and then in about half an hour I am going to have a headache."

She looked up at him, seeing the worry in his eyes and knowing she needed this as much as him he did, she brought up what she had been scared of before. "I didn't have you there at the hospital with me, but I would be okay if you wanted to take me home and take care of me. I have had some pretty unpleasant episodes with these headaches."

He opened his mouth to ask her something but she beat him to the punch.

"They can last anywhere from a week to a couple of months to a year. I've noticed that over the last 2 weeks the dizziness isn't as intense and the headaches aren't as bad. Hopefully they will be completely gone soon." She tried to smile at him, but she could already feel the dull thud at the base of her neck. He saw the pain behind her eyes and snapped into action.

"Well, good thing we are about 2 minutes from my place. Let's go Sugarbear. I'm going to take the best care of you, you are going to wonder why you have never taken me up on my offers before." She wanted to laugh, but ended up leaning against him as they walked down the street. She had gotten really tired, but she also knew that was another after effect of the head injury. Making it back to his apartment, he shuffled everyone inside.

"Sit. Do you want to try and eat or wait until later?

"Umm… I think later would be the best bet. I don't want to eat and then get sick," she said to his retreating back as he walked down the hall to his room. A couple of minutes later he reappeared.

"Okay, I put out a pair of sweats and an old t-shirt. Go get changed and then we will just lay on the couch and relax. Is there anything I can get you? What else can I do for you?" Yeah, this was what she had needed at the hospital. This insane, crazy man who would literally do anything for her.

"Just some water and some Advil and I will be ok."

"Didn't the hospital give you any pain pills for this?"

"They offered, I turned them down. Really Deeks, I am good. I just need you, okay?" Their eyes met and he nodded.

"Okay. Go get changed. I'll get your water and Advil.

10 minutes later, both partners laid on the couch, Kensi's back pressed against Deeks chest, his arm drawing lazy circles on her hip. He had turned all the lights off and lit a few candles to give a slight ambiance to the room, letting it cast a soft glow. The TV played softly in the background, but all he could hear was her little snort snores. Once she had laid her head down she was out. And he didn't blame her. The last 8 weeks had been hellacious for both of them, but especially for her. He regretted his absence every day he was out there, always wondering if everything was okay back home. And at least twice she had _really_ needed him and he hadn't been there.

'Never again' he thought to himself. As long as he could help it, he wouldn't leave her side.

The first week he was gone he knew he had made a mistake and regretted the decision immediately to take the assignment. There were a few times that his thoughts had almost gotten him in trouble, but he had been able to talk his way out of it.

The one time he hadn't, last night when the OP had gone south and LAPD had had to go in and get him out, he had slipped up and said something he shouldn't have. Right now, he couldn't even remember what it had been but suddenly he had been staring down the barrel of a gun and he vowed that if he got out of this, if God was going to answer him this one prayer, he would do what he had to to make sure he never left Kensi again. He hoped that God would understand that she had already had too many men in her life leave her and she couldn't go through it again.

And God had answered his prayers. LAPD had bust through the door at that moment, and before the dealer knew what was happening, Deeks had the gun taken away and the guy on the ground. He had walked out of there, gone to the precinct to fill out the paperwork and shower and change. And then he had gone to the Mission, where Hetty had offered him the position again, and this time, he had taken it.

Watching the woman he loved more than anything else in this world, he was so thankful that she returned his feelings. She had shown him exactly what was missing in his life, literally his other half. He was nothing without her. And he would spend forever trying to show her that.

Smiling, he turned the TV off and pulled the blanket off the back of the couch, covering them both. As he laid there, listening to all of her noises and committing them to memory, he decided he really needed to plan their first date.

_AN - Like it? Hate it? Tell me what you think. :)_


	13. Chapter 13

_Thank you to bookdiva for reading it over. And also RookieBlueGirl for the idea here! _

_Disclaimer - not mine, I just like to play._

* * *

The weekend flew by in a blur. The spent their time getting to know each other on a more personal level, telling each other things they had never told another person.

Kensi opened up about her dad, the time she had spent on the streets after he had passed away. Deeks had alternated between holding her hand and stroking her hair, giving her quiet reaffirmation that she while she had had to go through the most painful thing anyone could go through, she had come out on the other side, never losing herself to the darkness that had threatened to take her down.

Deeks told her of his childhood, the feelings of terror that one day his dad would kill him and his mom and the fear that he would turn out just like him. Kensi had held him as tears flowed down both of their cheeks, telling him over and over what an amazing man he was, nothing like the man who had his DNA running through him.

Between the bouts of seriousness, they had played board games and gone surfing together. They walked Monty often, enjoying the sunshine and the promise of every day being like this. They had gone to Kensi's house and picked up some clothes and other necessities, neither ready to let the other go so soon.

Sunday night, they were laying on the couch, watching (yet again) Titanic. Deeks decided it was now or never.

"Hey Princess? How are we going to play this tomorrow?"

She turned her head towards him. "What do you mean?"

"Well, seeing as how we are together now, how does this play out at work?"

"We are partners, Deeks. We have each other's backs. On the job, this stays out of it. After quittin' time, well, that's really no one else's business, is it?" Was he doubting they could do this? Was she?

He watched the worry etch onto her face. Knowing what she was thinking about, he hurried to put her - and his - mind at ease.

"So I can continue ogling you and making inappropriate comments. Got it."

The smile he sent her lit up the room, and she couldn't help but laugh. "Don't worry sunshine, we can do this." Hearing his reassuring words, she relaxed, knowing he was right. They could definitely do this.

* * *

As everyone arrived to work Monday, Hetty called an impromptu meeting, welcoming him back and proudly announcing he was _officially_ one of them now, introducing Special Agent Marty Deeks.

Deeks, in all his glory, had come forward and bowed, acting like he was winning an Oscar. He bashfully said this was such an honor but he didn't know he was supposed to prepare a speech. Just as soon as he started thanking random people who had "helped him get to where he is today" he was bombarded with paper balls being thrown at him.

There were no new cases at the moment, so the morning had consisted of catching up on paperwork and general boredom. Kensi had caught Deeks staring at her a couple of times, with _that_ look on his face, telling her silently that she was amazing and he was the luckiest man alive to have her love. She had been able to smile at him and act like nothing was out of the ordinary, when inside she couldn't stop the little-girl-like glee.

She made it half the day Monday before she realized just how screwed she was. Deeks had acted completely normal, never letting up on the ogling and innuendos. And while they still bantered and argued, she now knew how effective it was to just kiss him and make him shut up. And damn if he didn't know that and use it to his advantage.

"Hey Kensalina. Wanna go hit the gym? Get a little sweaty?" The wink he sent her way made her blush, but she was quick to answer.

"Didn't know you were so eager to get your ass kicked, Deeks."

"By you? Anytime darlin', anytime."

Callen and Sam both sat there, watching this play out. While both of them had noticed the shift in their relationship, they had agreed that they would wait a few days before saying anything to him. Their idea was to give him a false sense of security, and then pounce. So far, though, they were rather impressed by the younger agents. Nothing would seem out of the ordinary if you weren't trained to notice even the slightest change in breathing patterns. And Callen and Sam were definitely trained to notice things.

Sam noted the blush on her cheeks when Deeks talked to her. His eyes narrowed slightly in concentration, watching Kensi's reaction. She couldn't seem to look away from him, and Sam found this highly amusing.

"So Deeks, now that you're a probie, I think it's time to start the… initiation process," Sam said grinning. Callen set his pen down, thinking this was an excellent idea, and Kensi started rubbing her hands together in anticipation.

"Uh, seriously, is that necessary? I mean, I've been working with you for years now. I'm not really the new kid on the block anymore." He was starting to get worried. There was literally no telling what they had in store for him, and the way Kensi's eyes had lit up? Yeah, he was scared.

"All true, Deeks, but now you are an actual NCIS agent. And that means, being the probie, there are certain… levels of expectations you have to meet." Sam had an almost evil glint in his eyes, and Deeks audibly gulped.

Callen sat there, arms crossed over his chest. He had no idea what Sam was talking about, but hey, they were partners, and so he would do what partners do best: back him up.

"First order of business, _Agent_ Deeks, all paperwork from here on out is yours. Mine, Sam's and Kensi's." Deeks eyes widened in horror. If there was ever anything he hated, it was paperwork.

"Whoa, hey now. I will do anything else but that. Come on guys. That's a serious waste of talent." He looked pointedly at Kensi with that last line. No one was stepping up, though, to make a different offer, so Deeks hurried on, hoping he could use his killer negotiation skills to ward off the now inevitable paperwork stack.

"Ok, let's talk about this. I am sure we can work something out. How about…" he drifted off in thought, trying desperately to come up with something. Suddenly, inspiration hit and he snapped his fingers.

"How 'bout this, I will take a person a week, and for that week I will do their paperwork. This way, I am not drowning in it and everyone will get a week off. How's that sound?" His face was hopeful.

"You know what, usually we wouldn't even consider it, but because we like you, we will go confer. Please excuse us." Deeks gave Kensi his most heart wrenching puppy dog eyes, knowing she was the one who would be able to save him if she really _wanted_ to. She winked at him and followed the guys to the burn room.

"What's our list of demands if we take him up on the one person a week offer?" Callen had decided to just jump right in. He could agree to the weekly assignment, but something else needed to go with it.

"Coffee, doughnuts and lunch. Everyday." Kensi threw that out there, knowing one way or another he would be getting her food. Whether as the probie NCIS agent, her partner, or her boyfriend, it was happening.

Both guys raised their eyebrows at her. Callen couldn't keep his mouth shut. "Really Kens? Why not just make him open a food truck outside to only serve what you are feeling like that day." Her eyes widened happily. "Joking Kensi. Really, I think you have a problem. I am pretty sure there's like a 12 step program you can start. Food-aholics Anonymous. I'll get you the number." She started pouting at that, but couldn't contain her laughter for long.

"Okay, at the very least, coffee every day. Breakfast twice a week and lunch on Fridays. Work for you?" she asked, looking at the other men. They glanced at each other, both nodding. "Done. What else, Sam"

"I get to do his training." Sam had a dangerous glint in his eyes and a small smile playing at his words. Kensi immediately spoke up. "Don't hurt him Sam. I need my partner to be able to have my back out there."

"Oh ye of little faith. I'm not going to hurt him. Much."

Kensi just shook her head at him. She fixed her Bad-Ass Blye glare at Sam. "You hurt him too much, I will hurt you. Got it?"

Sam and Callen locked eyes for a minute, communicating silent words to one another. Sam looked back at Kensi, smirking at her. "Got it. Wouldn't want lover boy to be unable to do his after work activities now would we?"

She stood there, shocked beyond words. She decided now was not the time or place to have this talk, and she cleared her throat. She really needed to get this conversation back on track.

"Callen, what are your demands?"

Deciding to let her change the topic, and brought his hand up to his chin, rubbing it.

"I'm thinking dirty work. I have noticed an almost unhealthy amount of dirt and grime around our work station. Hetty needs to fire the cleaning crew. I don't know what exactly they clean, but it's not the bull pen. Or the gym. Or showers. And I think Deeks is just the man to make it shiny again."

All three laughed at that. They could all agree that yes, the cleaning crew hired seemed only concerned with taking out the trash and doing a quick sweeping of the floors.

"Okay, so we are all in agreement then?" At the nods, they turned and went back to their desks.

Deeks was standing there, a worried frown on his face.

"Took you guys long enough. Seriously, what were you doing in there? Planning the overthrow of the country?" He was trying to make light of the fact they were gone a good 15 minutes, and with each passing minute he became a little more worried about what they were going to do to him. Maybe he should have just stuck with the paperwork.

Callen decided to break the news.

"Okay Deeks. We will take your deal, but here's our demands to even it out. We want coffee, every day. Breakfast twice a week and lunch on Friday's."

"Let me guess, that was Kensi's idea?" If looks could kill, he would have dropped dead right then. Callen just raised his eyebrow and kept going.

"Sam is in charge of your training." At that, Deeks visibly paled. _Dear God_.

"And you will clean the Mission. Top to bottom. I am tired of working in filth." Okay, so filth was a strong word.

Deeks thought about it for a minute. "You know what, okay, I'll take the deal." Really, it could have been a lot worse for him.

He went to sit back down, but his partner's words halted him.

"Since you missed the coffee run today, I think you can make up for it by going to get lunch." He would have laughed if it wasn't for the serious look on her face. Resigning himself to an unplanned, midday excursion, he sighed.

"Okay. Write down what you want." The orders were made (of course they wouldn't be from the same place) and Deeks started to walk out.

"Hey, wait up for a minute." He stopped and turned around, looking at her questioningly. "What's up Kens?"

She pulled him into an alcove, having already checked to make sure there was no security cameras in the area, and pressed her lips to his. He responded immediately, pulling her as close as possible, enjoying the feel of her touch, the taste of her kiss. After a minute or so, she pulled back, putting her forehead on his.

"I thought we were keeping this out of the office."

"You complaining?"

"Nope, no, not at all. I could get used to this. Anytime you want to, um, do that, I'm totally okay with."

"Don't get too used to it. One time deal."

"Yeah, like you can keep your hands off all this," he said, gesturing up and down his body.

"You looking for another punch?" she asked, head tilted to the side. They stepped away from each other, knowing someone could walk up at any moment.

"If a punch means you love me, than yes." He smiled at her knowingly.

"I love you means I love you. Now, go get me some food." She turned to go and he just stood there laughing. As he took the first step to leave she called out to him. Before he could leave however, she turned, grabbing his hand and tapping out 143 with her fingers. He squeezed her hand, love shining in his eyes.

"You too, Princess. You too." And on that note, he strode out of the Mission to get the food.

* * *

After an afternoon of nothing but never-ending paperwork, they couldn't take it any longer. Needing something to break up the monotony, all agreed that a basketball game was in order.

Heading to the lockers to get changed and meeting on the court, it was a brutal game of HORSE, with Kensi and Deeks barely winning. The guys conceded the game and decided to call it a night.

"What do you say, Kens, one more game? Loser buys dinner?" He winked at her, knowing she wouldn't back down from a challenge.

"You were already going to buy dinner, Deeks, why embarrass yourself further?"

"I just want to see you sweat some more," he said, throwing the ball to her.

She laughed and threw the ball back to him. "You're on Shaggy."

20 minutes later, he couldn't believe what had just happened. Annihilated was not a strong enough word. Water was literally falling out his pours and his partner didn't even have the grace to break into any kind of sweat. Cruel, cruel world he thought to himself.

"Go on Deeks. Get showered and changed. It's time to go and I don't want to smell you the entire time." She looked him up and down, liking what she saw. The light in her eyes was enough for him. He ran towards her and pressed her against the wall. What she thought was going to be a passionate encounter turned into her becoming his towel. Getting out of his grasp and putting him in a headlock, she walked them towards the locker.

"You do not want to know what will happen if you do that again. Shower. Now." She let him go, and kissed him softly. She brought her hand up to his cheek.

"I love you. Now seriously. GO!"

"Yes, ma'am. Did I ever tell you I like being bossed around? It's kind of a turn on."

"Deeks…." She took a step towards him and he took off like a school kid, laughing.

"I'm going, I'm going. Shower. Got it."

Shaking her head, she headed into the locker room. She loved him, yes, but sometimes she wanted to kill him.

Going to her locker to get her things, she noticed a pale yellow piece of paper sticking out from the door. Looking around, and feeling a strange sense of deja vu, she grabbed it and sat down. Making sure the coast was clear, she opened it.

_Ms. Blye,_

_Remember these words? Sometimes you find them. Sometimes they find you. Well, what I didn't tell you was sometimes you get lucky enough you find each other. I didn't know when I partnered you two together that such a bond was possible, but watching you two grow over the years has shown me exactly what a true partnership, a true friendship, and a true love really looks like. He's a good man Kensi. You can trust him with everything. But don't hurt him. Like you, he's had far too much pain in his life._

_In saying that, please refrain from sneaking kisses like a bunch of high school kids. I see more than you think. Smile Kensi. – HL_

She looked around, wondering if she was imagining this, but knowing that the feel of the paper reminded her it was real. Beautiful, wonderful Hetty was telling her to hold onto him and never let him go. And that's exactly what she was going to do.

"Thank you, Hetty, for everything," she said, more to herself since the room was empty. Smiling, Kensi walked to the showers, ready to be back in the arms of her love.

* * *

Deeks had walked into the locker room and noticed something was off. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something in the air was different. He scanned the area on his way to his locker, trying to figure out was going on. He wouldn't have been surprised to see Sam and Callen jump out from the shadows and try and give him a swirly, telling him it was 'initiation.'

He was too busy looking around to notice the pale yellow paper sticking out from his locker, so when he turned and opened the door, still wary of an attack, he nearly died of a heart attack when he felt something hit his leg. Jumping (and maybe yelping in surprise, he wasn't sure) he looked down and saw the paper. His eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out what was going on. Opening the paper, he realized it was certainly the last thing he would expect.

_Calm down Mr. Deeks. I can assure you no one is going to jump out and get you. At least_ _not_ _right now. No, the reason for this is to tell you Ms. Blye is an amazing woman, but you already know that. She has a heart of gold and will stand by you through thick and thin. But don't forget to be patient with her, too. While she may love you, she will also have to overcome all of her doubts. She has already had an ex-fiancée who left her. She knows in her heart you won't leave her, but she must also convince her head. So, show her every day how much she means to you, how much you love her. And once you have her head convinced you will always be by her side, then you will have her forever, no matter what. And isn't that what you want more than anything?_

_But please, when you are at work, we all would appreciate a certain level of professionalism. Therefore, no more_ _sneaking in alcoves and making out like teenagers. Smile Marty! - HL_

He sat there for a few minutes, wondering just how lucky he really was. He had an amazing woman in his life whom he would do anything for. Three surrogate brothers and one sister. And an incredible fairy godmother. What else was there?

Putting the note in a safe place, he headed for the showers, needing to get back to Kensi as soon as possible. It was time to start convincing her head that he wasn't ever leaving. And he knew exactly where to start. It was time to put Operation Date Night into effect. She wasn't going to know what hit her.

_AN - Well, here's another one. I hope you liked it. Leave and review and let me know. :)_


	14. Chapter 14

_Alright folks...longest chapter by far, AND it's got the date. Hope you like it. THANK YOU bookdiva for looking it over. You are amazing!_

_Disclaimer stands._

* * *

Deeks had some planning to do. He wanted to make the first real date with Kensi to be one they would never forget. They had been practically inseparable since he returned from his assignment. Most nights were spent at his apartment, just hanging out. They both respected his wish that they wait to take that final, intimate step in their relationship, but that didn't mean that they hadn't tried to push the envelope. There were a few nights he wasn't sure how his self-control had stood up. Kensi could tempt him with just a look, and that was one of the many things he loved about her.

They had made it through the week without any more incidents. Deeks had managed to get the Mission pretty clean with the help of his partner in crime. Granted she couldn't clean to save her life, but she had stayed with him while he did it, and he couldn't ask for more. Sam had started on his training and while he had a long way to go, he had surprised the big man with his moves. But that hadn't stopped Sam from kicking his ass. Over and over and over again.

So here they were, Thursday afternoon. They had taken down a terrorist cell that morning and now he was doing his _and_ Callen's reports on it. Sam had just finished and the two were now in a heated game of paper basketball. They had set the goal up between the desks and were hootin' and hollerin', trying to distract the other and cheer when a basket was made. They were also making a mess with missed shots, and he knew he was the one who would be cleaning it up later.

Kensi had decided to go to the shooting range for a while. Seeing this as their chance, Sam cleared his throat.

"I think it's time we had a little talk Deeks. If I were you, I'd be in the locker room in 5 minutes." Deeks looked up, knowing this was coming but dreading it all the same. Yes, these were Kensi's big brothers, and he knew they wouldn't be doing their job if it didn't happen, but he also felt it was unnecessary.

Callen and Sam got up and walked off. Instead of putting it off, he immediately followed. He decided to take action and get in control of this. He already knew exactly what they were going to say. Walking into the locker room, he put his hand up to stop the onslaught of threats, but was stopped short.

"We could do the whole cliché big brother you-hurt-her-and-you-die bit, but we know that you already know that. If we had any questions as to your feelings for her, they were laid to rest while you were on the last assignment with LAPD, and you still made sure to make her smile. Always keep in mind we can kill you 157 ways without leaving evidence behind, but nothing we could do would compare to what Kensi can do. And _will_ do, if you hurt her." Sam looked over at his partner, giving him the floor now.

"Deeks, you're a good guy. She's our baby sister, but we know you love her and would rather die than hurt her. That being said, make sure it stays out of the office. We want to know that you two can be professional on the job. If one of you has to go undercover and seduce a target, we can't worry that the other will go off the deep end. If that happens, you will be split

up faster than you can blink. And I know neither one of you want that. So, leave it at the door when you show up and keep your heads in the game. Got it?" Callen lifted his eyebrow at him.

Deeks brought his hand up behind his neck. "Yeah, got it. Don't worry Callen. We are going to make this work. That woman out there, she deserves all the happiness in the world. I know I am not good enough for her, hell I don't know that such a man exists, but I am going to make damn sure that never a day goes by that she doesn't know how much I love her. We will keep it professional at work. I can't promise there won't be jealousy, because that was there before we became a couple, but we won't let it get in the way of the mission."

Deeks was pacing at this point, knowing what they were telling him, but unable to keep his mouth shut. Which, really, wasn't anything new to them. The guys just stood there, arms crossed over their chests, waiting to see what else would come out.

"I mean, sure, there was that one time, but no one noticed. But don't worry, we definitely won't let it come between us at work. Wait, she is going to be so pissed if I have to flirt with someone to get information. And who can blame her? I know when the situation is reversed, it's going to kill me to see some random douche bag touch her, pretending to be on a date and letting him whisper in her ear and put his hands on her. _Oh hell_. Speaking of dates."

The pacing stopped and he looked at them, eyes almost panicked.

"What in the _hell_ am I going to do for her for our first date?" He started pacing again, running his hand through his hair.

"I told her we weren't sleeping together until at least the first date. I'm hanging on by a thread here guys. The first date has to be soon, and it has to be _good_. I mean, I am hoping this is the last first date we will ever go on. I want her to remember it, hopefully fondly. Which she won't if I don't figure something out. I've impressed lots of ladies in the past, but this is _Kensi_. She's not just any girl, she's _the_ girl. Oh God, this is going to be a total failure." Hanging his head, he sat on the bench. He didn't even look up when Callen started talking again.

"Ok, first of all, never again bring up your _extracurricular_ activities in front of us. _Ever_. Don't forget who we are. Two, don't worry about it. Whatever you decide to do, it will be great. You could take her to the beach and watch the sunset or make her dinner at your place and she would be happy. Stop freaking out. Nothing good ever comes out of it. You know her better than anyone, it shouldn't be that hard to think of something. And if you need anything, you know you can ask us."

At the last part, Sam shot his partner a look. "Don't start putting words in my mouth, G." Callen just smirked at him, knowing Sam was just making big talk. He would help Deeks out if he needed it.

Deeks looked between the two of them. "You're right. I do know her better than anyone. Thanks, guys, good talk." Slapping them both on the back, he strode out of the room. Damn, he really was good. He was going to need the guys help with what he had planned, but he hadn't wanted to come right out and ask. Using the situation to his advantage, he had gotten them to offer it instead, which was so much better.

_Just let them think it's their idea. Operation Date Night underway. _Containing his laughter, he walked back to his desk where his partner was waiting for him.

"Hey, where did everyone go?"

"Oh, we were in the gym. Sam and Callen were going to face off on the wall and I couldn't miss it."

She was smiling at this. "Oh yeah, who won?"

"Oh, you see, they didn't actually climb it. Both started whining about one thing or another. Forfeit. Gonna try it again another day."

She narrowed her eyes at him, knowing he wasn't telling the truth.

"I don't know why you're lying to me right now, but when I find out, be prepared for hurt."

"Whoa, hey, Fern, it's nothing like that. Really. Everything is fine. I mean good, everything is good. Just forget about it, okay?"

She studied him for a minute longer. He might know her better than anyone, but that was definitely reciprocated. She knew every mannerism he had. He might be lying about something, but she could see in his eyes it wasn't something that was going to hurt her.

"Alright Deeks. I'll forget about it. For now." She went back to her computer, determined to get her mountains of paperwork completed by the weekend.

"Sweet cheeks, you want some help?"

"You ever call me sweet cheeks again and you won't be able to have kids." Her glare was almost enough to do that.

"Nope, no way, I know you don't mean it. You love this, and while you may do a lot of threatening, I know it means you love me." His smile almost faltered as an empty bottle was hurled towards his head. Instead, he got up, laughing, and walked to her desk.

"You'll thank me for this later," he whispered in her ear. She blushed furiously, refusing to look up. He chuckled, knowing what was going on in her head. As he turned back to his desk, he grabbed half of her files.

"Hey, I thought you were doing Callen's paperwork this week?"

"I am. I'm already done with it, so I thought I'd help you. You gonna change my mind?"

A huge smile lit up her face. "Nope. But no bitching about it. I don't want to hear you in 30 minutes complaining about it, okay?"

"Anything for you Princess." He winked at her, opening his laptop and got started.

* * *

Friday morning was upon them. He had a lot to do before tonight. He had texted Sam and Callen and asked if they would get there early and meet him outside, without alerting Kensi. She had wanted to get in early to work out, so he had dropped her off and acted like he was leaving to go get the agreed upon coffee and doughnuts. He watched in the rear view mirror as she headed inside. Five minutes later, Sam and Callen appeared. He was standing there waiting for them.

"What's up Deeks? How come you're here empty handed?" Sam's voice held a twinge of irritation. It was early and he was hungry.

"Yeah yeah, I am about to go get the goods. First, I wanted to see if that offer to help me with the date thing was still on the table." Both men looked at each other and then back at him. Getting the nod from Callen, he explained his plan and what he needed from them. With smiles in place, they agreed.

Operation Date Night was under way. But he had one thing to do first and he was going to hate it.

Armed with coffee, doughnuts and a breakfast burrito for his truly, he walked in and set everything down. Noticing the guys had followed instructions and were out of sight at the moment, he got down to business.

"Hey Beautiful. I know we were supposed to have a date tonight, but LAPD just called and asked me to come down to the station to clear up some paperwork. I don't know how long it's going to take, so can we reschedule to tomorrow night?"

He watched her face fall. Yep, this was just as hard as he thought it would be.

"We can't tomorrow. We are having dinner with my mom, remember?" Yeah, he remembered, but he sure as hell wasn't telling her that right now.

"No, yeah, of course I remember. Dinner with your mom. How could I forget? Okay, well, we can do our date next Friday. I'll make it up to you babe. I promise." He tried smiling at her, but the hurt on her face was almost too much. He almost broke down right then and told her, but he knew that this was worth it in the long run. Or at least he hoped it was, or she was going to kill him.

She gave him a sad smile, trying and failing to keep the disappointment out of her voice. "Yeah, okay Deeks. Next Friday is fine."

_Fine_. God how he hated that word, but he wasn't going to say anything right now. He just cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrows, but she pretended not to notice, staring intently at her computer screen. He sighed inwardly and opened up his own computer, trying to convince himself this was part of the plan.

In the meantime, Kensi was trying and failing to get her work done. She had been looking forward to their date all week. Being with him, well, it was so much more than she ever thought it would be. She loved holding hands while they walked Monty and going to the grocery store. It was so normal and so _them_.

But she had wanted to go on an actual date with him, and not just because of his date rule (which she was really ready to get out of the way just because it was getting harder and harder to restrain herself with him), but it had been so long since she had gone out with someone who had more than sex on his mind. Of course he thought about it… _wanted_ it—so did she—but he also loved and respected her. It would be so much more than just dinner and drinks, only leading to _other _things. It would be about love and dreams and laughter, knowing he only had eyes for her. So yes, she was disappointed.

She heard Callen and Sam coming back, and was quick to school her features to show nothing more than mild annoyance.

Callen plopped down next to her, propping his feet on the desk.

"So, you crazy kids have any plans tonight? Wasn't there talk of a date planned?" Kensi just glanced at him.

"Nope."

Deeks looked at Callen and winked, making sure Kensi wasn't looking his way.

"What? Why not?"

"Deeks got called back to LAPD to finish up some paperwork for them. Hopefully after that he can wash his hands of that mess." She still wasn't looking up from her computer. She was not happy.

"Well, while he does that we should go out for drinks. Sam's buying." They all waited with baited breath. Deeks was 98% sure she would decline, but on the off chance she didn't, they would have to go to plan B.

"I think I'll pass tonight guys, but thanks anyway. It's been a while since I've been home for more than a few minutes. I'm just gonna take a bubble bath and park myself on the couch with a tub of ice cream and catch up on my shows." Yep, she was super pissed. Skipping drinks? Tub of ice cream? He was really hoping this didn't backfire on him.

"Your loss Kens. Sam doesn't offer to pay every day." This statement obviously offended Sam.

"Hey, I offer to pay plenty."

"Yeah, when that one bar offers $1.00 longnecks. No one likes a cheap ass."

"At least I back up my offers. Last time you offered to pay for dinner, you acted like you forgot your wallet when the check came."

"Hey now…."

"Then, as soon as I hand over my credit card, you bring back your 'illusionist' alias and magically the missing wallet returns, telling me you got the tip. Really G? Don't talk to me about cheap ass."

This had everyone laughing, easing some of the tension.

* * *

3:00pm came around and Deeks headed out. He saw Kensi watching him.

"I'll call you when I get done. If it's not too late, maybe I can come over?"

"We'll see. I may just go home and go to bed. It's been a long week." She was having trouble meeting his eyes. She didn't want him to see the hurt that would be there. She knew in her head that he couldn't help this, but her heart hadn't caught up yet. It was silly to be this upset about it, it was just a date. It wasn't like they were breaking up or anything. But damn it, she had been waiting all week for it.

He put his finger under her chin, making her look up at him.

"Are we okay?" He held his breath as he waited for her answer.

"We're good Deeks. Really. I'm just tired tonight." She wasn't as convincing as she wanted to be, but she was saved from having to say anything.

"If I could have put this off I would have sweetheart. But I want to get it finished so I can be done with them."

"I know. Go, get your paperwork done. I'll wait up for you, okay?"

He nodded and mouthed 'I love you' to her. She smiled, mouthing it back. Turning, she headed back to the gym, wanting to let out some aggression. When she got back to her desk, there was a post-it on her computer screen. She let out a chuckle when she saw 143 written on it. It was their thing. Not everyone knew what it meant, and he could tell her his feelings without putting it out there so blatantly. She picked up her bag, hoping to sneak out a little early when Nell came down the stairs.

"Hey Kensi, I know you are about to leave, but do you think you can help me with something real quick?"

"Oh, yeah, sure." She put her bag back down and headed up the stairs, following her friend.

"What do you need me to do?"

"If you could look over these files for me that would be awesome."

"Sure. Hey, where are you going?"

"Oh, I need to go do something for Hetty real quick. I will be right back." She watched her walk out of the room. Picking up the first file, she started looking through it. Hmmm…this was a file from a case they worked a few weeks ago. _I thought this was already finished_. She made it through the third page before she saw it, a pale purple piece of paper. So, that's why she left, she thought to herself.

_Hey Princess. Looks like LAPD had already completed the paperwork. Crazy, huh? So here's the deal. You sent me on a little scavenger hunt that lead me to you. Well, to commemorate our first date, here's a hunt that will lead _you_ to _me_. If you can figure it out, that is. You're not a Detective, but you are a super special agent. I know you can do it. Now, go to wardrobe. Your next instructions will be waiting for you. I love you. Smile Sunshine! – D_

She wanted to kill him and kiss him right now, and she wasn't sure which feeling was stronger. He hadn't ditched their date, and for that, she was going to kiss him senseless. But he had made her feel like shit all day, hence the killing. Taking her paper, she made her way to wardrobe.

"Hey Eric, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know, apparently Hetty wants me to wear pants more. Just trying on different ones, you know, seeing if there's any out there will work for me. There's not. Okay, I'm just gonna…you know, I'm leaving."

For as smart as he is, he could be incredibly awkward sometimes. She looked around, wondering what she was supposed to find down here. She started walking through the rows of clothes, looking for clues when she happened to see the purple paper attached to a hanger.

_Good job Kens! You get a point. You can collect your prize IF you get all the points. On this hanger is the outfit for you to wear tonight. Don't ask questions. Just change. Wow, I didn't think this through very well or I would have been there to help you. *wink* While you are changing, think about your next clue. Smile Sunshine! -D_

_I can be brown, plastic, or cloth. I come in all sizes and shapes and have infinite use._

She looked at the outfit she was going to wear. It was a pair of dark wash jeans and a black sequence sleeveless shirt. She remembered telling him one day that she loved this shirt.

_I wonder if that's why he chose it? _

There was a pair of black boots under it, so she slid those on, too. She thought about putting her hair up in a ponytail, but then thought back to when they were Justin and Melissa and remembered the way his eyes had lit up. "Hair down, wavy." So, that's what he was going to get.

Sitting on the bench, she got back to the clue. Brown…plastic…cloth. Different uses. _Bag_! Getting up quickly, grabbing her notes, she walked to the area that had the bags in them, wondering which one she was supposed to use. Taking a quick glance over all of them, she saw one with the paper sticking out of it. Grabbing it, she pulled it out.

_Well, look at you! On a roll are we? Another point Kensalina. Well done! Time for the next clue. Smile Sunshine! -D_

_Every time I see you in one of these, all I can think about it taking it off you. I wear one, you usually wear two. _

Laughing, she knew immediately what it was. She had come out of the bathroom the other night with a towel around her and the look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.

She headed for the showers, knowing that's where most of the towels were kept. Instead of seeing the normal white ones on the rack, she noticed two bright colored beach towels as well. She picked them up and searched for her next clue. Shaking out the second towel, her paper fell to the floor.

_You are on FIRE! Another point my hot little Sugarbear. Now, put the towels in the bag and you are ready for your next clue. Smile Sunshine! -D_

_The first day I was gone, you became irate about something._

His parking spot. The anger she had at something so trivial was a turning point for her. She stuffed the towels in the bag and walked outside. Seeing Callen standing next to his car, _in Deeks spot_, she knew immediately he was in on this.

"Don't say anything Kens. I'm trained for this kind of stuff. You won't be getting anything out of me." He smirked at her, opening the passenger door for her. Laying on the seat was a Twinkie. And a post-it attached to it.

_Here's a snack to hold you over. Don't get it all over your face. Or do, because then I can lick it off. _

Blushing, she opened her treat and ate it, making sure to be clean about it this time. She tried to make small talk with Callen, but he wasn't answering anything. Sighing, she turned to look out the window, contemplating where they were going. 15 minutes later, they pulled up. Before Callen let her go, he nodded to the glove compartment. She opened it and pulled out another note.

"Thank you Callen. This means a lot."

"Anything for you Kens. I hope you have a good time tonight." He leaned over and gave her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek.

She got her bag and got out of the car. As Callen pulled away, she opened the note.

_Go to the entrance and ask for Kim._

Looking around, she noticed the people milling about, a large park behind them. There were couples and families, all looking like they were having a good time. Kids ran by her laughing, making her smile. She walked up to the entrance.

"Hi, I'm looking for a Kim?" The girl behind the counter smiled at her and asked her to wait right there.

Kensi started looking around, noticing posters for different movies that were coming up_. So, movies in the park huh? Perfect._

Kim came around the corner. She was an older lady who had greying hair and kind green eyes. Kensi smiled as she introduced herself.

"Hi, you must be Kensi. Marty has told me so much about you. All good, don't worry. Here is your ticket, and he asked me to give you this." Thanking the woman once again, Kensi took the ticket and the note.

_So close Princess. Another point for you! Now, let's see if you can find me. I love you. Hope you are smiling! -D_

_Wax on, Wax off_

He was giving her movie quotes as clues? Well, she had done it for him, so she couldn't really say anything. She walked in, giving her ticket to the girl at the counter.

She stood there, looking around, wondering where the clue was leading her. She watched as families brought food in and set up blankets on the ground. It was starting to get dark, so she knew she had to find him soon. Walking with the current of people, she noticed some of the trees had posters of movies on them. Understanding washed through her. She immediately perked up, looking for the Karate Kid poster. After a few minutes of aimless wandering, she found it. Rushing over to it, she looked around but didn't see her missing date anywhere. Suddenly, she felt his hands cover her eyes. She tensed for half a second, ready to go on the defensive, but before she could make a move she felt his breath on her ear.

"Don't worry. It's just me."

Turning, she put her arms around and hugged him. His arms went around her waist, pulling her closer. If it weren't for the awkward way she was holding the bag, she wasn't convinced they would have let go. Pulling away, leaving him a quick peck on the lips, she looked at him.

"So, LAPD didn't really need you huh?" She raised her eyebrows at him.

"Don't hate me Kens. I just wanted to surprise you. I'm sorry. I won't do that again."

"You better not or you won't be able to sit for a week because of the beating I will hand to you." She watched as fear went into his eyes. Not wanting to ruin the evening, she softened her gaze.

"Now, where are we sitting? And I hope you brought dinner. That Twinkie was only to hold me over."

Seeing the sparkle come back in his eyes, she smiled. He led her over near a tree, midway between the large screen set up in front of them and the back. He knew from past experience you had to get here early to get the good spots, and he had a few favors to call in with the people who ran this.

He took the bag from her and set it on the blanket he already had set out, a box of pizza, two shakes and three cupcakes next to it. Sitting down, she immediately started eating. He just started laughing.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Just enjoying the view Princess. I haven't even sat down yet and you are attacking the pizza. If you could save me at least 2 pieces, it would be greatly appreciated." The pout she sent him had him laughing all over again.

"Well, seeing as this may be the most perfect first date ever, I guess the least I can do is save you some pizza." He laughed at that and sat down, grabbing a slice. The lawn was getting crowded as people started getting comfy, ready for the movie to start.

"So, what are we watching tonight?"

"Wax on, wax off. I figured Karate Kid was kinda perfect, watching how a kid learns to kick ass." He smiled at her, eyes shining.

"Yeah, it's pretty perfect. Thank you Deeks."

They polished off the pizza and moved on to the cupcakes. He had gotten her two of her favorites. Both started out as regular chocolate, but one had peanut butter and chocolate filling and the other strawberry. Moaning in delight, she took a bite of the one with the peanut butter.

"Deeks. These are SO good." He was now sitting with his back against the tree, using one of the beach towels as a pillow/buffer and she had moved to sit between his legs. She felt a shiver as he whispered in her ear.

"Keep those noises up Princess and we won't actually stay to see the movie." He kissed her neck and picked up his cupcake. She laughed and snuggled against him, making it somewhat difficult for him to eat the tasty treat, but that was just fine. He had his girl with him, laughing and happy. What else could he possibly want?

"Hey, I figured out my clues. You promised a prize if I got all my points. Where is it?"

"Ha! I thought you were smarter than that. I _am_ the prize." She scoffed at that but smiled at him, knowing he was right. He was exactly the prize she wanted.

Polishing off the cupcakes, and being slightly embarrassed she had finished both of hers and very nearly wrestled him for the last two bites of his (which he conceded to her, because really, he had been _lucky_ to get that much), they got comfortable. They sat like that, her back pressed to his chest, head laying on his shoulder, and watched the movie.

As the credits were rolling, they packed up their stuff, threw the trash away and followed the crowds out. Hand in hand, they walked to his car. It was nearing 10pm, but the night was still young.

"Hope you aren't tired. I've still got lots planned for tonight." She just smiled and leaned in, kissing him, letting every feeling of love and admiration and _thanks_ show in it. Pulling back before they got arrested for indecent exposure and lewd behavior, she got in the car.

"So, what's next?"

He pulled out into traffic, expertly maneuvering the car, being mindful of the pedestrians and other vehicles trying to leave the park.

"So glad you asked. I was thinking, the first part of the date was for you: the notes, the food, cupcakes, movie. So for the next portion, I wanted to take you and do something I haven't done in years. When I was a kid, Ray and I would do this every once in a while, when we had some extra cash to spare, but after the thing with my dad, well, childhood just wasn't the same after that." His face had become serious at the end and she grabbed his hand, squeezing.

"Whatever _this_ is, I can't wait. I know I'm going to love it." She gave him a huge smile and leaned over, kissing his cheek.

Ten minutes later, they pulled up outside of a huge arcade/bowling alley. Her eyes lit up. If there was one thing she loved, it was going head to head with hers truly. Before she could get her seat belt undone, he was out and around the car, opening her door.

"Alright Princess. Let's do this!" Laughing like kids, they almost ran to the door, eager to get started. He pulled his wallet out, getting them both set up with the special coins. And for the next hour and half, they let their inner kid come out.

They battled it out on air hockey, Deeks barely winning. Next up, they tried one of the many racing games, choosing one with motorcycles you could actually ride to control. Kensi got so into it she almost fell off, which caused Deeks to start laughing uncontrollably and crash near the end, Kensi's motorcycle cruising past him to the finish line.

They tried their hand at Skee Ball, but trying to roll the ball and get it into the circles was a little more challenging than they originally thought.

A shooting game was next, and even though he knew he would lose, the look of pure, uninhibited joy on her face was worth the beating he was going to take. Grabbing the guns, they shot their targets, with Kensi coming out on top hands down.

After a few more games, with him _letting_ Kensi win (he was nothing if not a smart man), they decided to end it with a game of putt-putt golf they had set up inside. Kensi had decided to up the ante, and when he tried to make his shot, she grabbed his butt, which took him by surprise and he missed by a long shot.

"Oh, I see how it is. We're going to play dirty, huh?" The look of amusement on his face was all she needed.

"Bring it on Shaggy."

The rest of the game went on  
like that, each trying to make the other lose their concentration. Deeks would blow in her ear or stroke her arm as she was taking the shot, making her miss. She would respond with caresses to his hair or, her personal favorite, standing next to the hole and licking her lips. He would become so fixated on her, he missed every time. It was seduction at its finest. Anyone who looked at them instantly saw a couple madly in love.

Somehow managing to finish the game and keep it PG-_13_-ish, they strolled out and headed back to the car. It was now nearing midnight. He took his phone out and shot off a quick text. She looked at him questioningly, but he spoke before she could ask about it.

"So Fern, did you have fun?"

"You know Shaggy, this was absolutely incredible. I haven't done that in years. The movie in the park and then getting to kick your ass at the games. It was perfect. _You_ are perfect."

"Well, we have one more stop to make."

"Really? Deeks, this was more than perfect. What else is there?" He just grabbed her hand and turned up the radio, serenading her as they drove through the streets. She laughed as he missed words and sang off key, but joined in on the songs she knew. Windows down, driving along, singing together and holding hands. She hadn't been kidding when she said it was perfect.

They pulled up at the beach. He took his shoes and socks off and she followed suit. He hurried around and opened the door for her again. She climbed out and put her arm through his. He led her to a small cove a ways from the main beach area. She gasped at what she saw. There were flameless candles making a circle and a blanket in the middle with a picnic basket sitting there. He led her over to it, chuckling at the look of shock on her face.

"What… how…" Apparently actual coherent sentences weren't happening right now.

"Well, you saw Nell and Eric at OPS. Callen drove you to the park. Sam and probably Callen set this up. It was a group effort. I wanted to make this something you would never forget, and because we are a family, I wanted to include everyone somehow in this. Hetty picked out the clothes by the way. Even she had a small hand in it."

Kensi was speechless. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined something so amazing as this. He hadn't taken her to some fancy restaurant like most men would. He had made it uniquely _them_, putting thought and effort into the date and including their family in it, even if it was in these small ways.

They sat on the blanket, and he pulled out some beers and the chocolate covered strawberries.

"You would never have guessed that Eric made these, huh? Apparently, this creative food thing is a hobby for him."

"Eric, as in awkward-can-barely-make-sentences-and-is-always-the-last-one-to-catch-onto-things Eric? Damn, he is a man of many talents, huh?"

"Ten bucks says he called Nell over and she helped make these."

"Nope, not taking that bet. Those two spend a lot more time together than they let on. They need to just get on with it already."

"I wonder how many times people said that about us."

She almost looked sad when he said that. He knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Hey, what matters is we finally got our shit together. We are here, right now, _together_. That's what matters. It may have taken us a long time to get to this point, but the road here was worth it. I wouldn't change a single thing."

That's exactly what she needed to hear. They sat there talking, looking at the stars and gently caressing each other, neither of them able to keep their hands to themselves. Silence filled the night as they listened to waves crashing against the shore. Turning to him, she kissed him with a passion that almost surprised her, and he laid her down on the blanket. After a few… _heated_ minutes, he pulled back.

"As much as I want to, I am not making love to you for the first time on the beach. I suggest we pack up and head home. What do you think?"

"I think that sounds perfect."

She helped him put everything away and headed back to the car. Both of them anticipating what would happen when they got back to his place. It was a quiet drive, each lost in their thoughts. As he parked the car and got their things out, he was nervous, almost to the point of sweating.

_This isn't my first time. I am not some teenager who doesn't know what to do. Come on Deeks._

He looked over at his almost lover, noting the blush on her cheeks. She's just as nervous as you are, he thought. He unlocked the door and after setting everything down, he took her hand and led her to his bedroom, knowing this was a night neither would ever forget.

* * *

_AN - y'all know the plan. Tell me your thoughts! Also, let me know what else you would like to see. Thank you EVERYONE who has taken the time to read the story. You all are amazing!_


	15. Chapter 15

_Well...this one took a while. THANK YOU to bookdiva and moresassythanclassy for the encouragement to get past the writer's block I had._

_Disclaimer - yet again, not mine. (Shocking, I know)_

* * *

The Monday after their first date, both were beaming. Kensi had tracked everyone down and freely given hugs, thanking them numerous times for their help. Each of them told her they were proud to be asked to do something, no matter how small the task. You could tell just by looking at them that it had been a huge success. The happiness that radiated off them was contagious, making anyone who was in the room with them smile.

Weeks passed before their first true test as a couple came up. They had done a pretty good job at leaving their feelings at the door when they walked in to the Mission. Of course there was still comments and blushing, innuendos and the answering threats. But it really wasn't any different now than it was before they got together.

Everyone was sitting at their desks, discussing old cases and aliases. Sam was in the middle of telling them about Callen going undercover as a hair dresser when Eric whistled, signaling another round of save-the-world was beginning. When the doors opened and they walked in the command center, Nell looked at Kensi, giving her a sad smile.

_What the hell?_

Listening as the details of the case unfolded, Kensi felt knots in her stomach that intensified tenfold when Hetty came in the room, explaining everyone's roll in the mission. When the pictures were put up on the screen, she inwardly cringed.

This was it, what she and Deeks had been dreading since taking the next step from partnership to relationship.

* * *

Of all places, their suspect just _had_ to have a stake in a bikini bar. And not just any bikini bar. The one with the rooms in back where, for the right price, you got more than just a look at their…_assets_. It was decided by Hetty that Deeks would go in as a customer looking to sample the goods in order to gain access to the back rooms and the suspect's office/computer. Callen would be his backup at the bar. Deeks had tried protesting, stating Callen - being the single one and all - would be the better person for this, but Hetty had disagreed. The waitress that Deeks was supposed to get close to, one Mindy Steele, had shown favoritism to blondes in the past, giving Deeks the distinct advantage. And it certainly didn't hurt that Deeks was, well, gorgeous.

Deeks was inside the dressing room, putting on the suit Hetty had picked out for him. He's still not sure how he managed it, but he was able convince her he didn't need a tie. He walked out and was admiring himself in the mirror when his better half walked up.

"You ready for this partner?" She was doing everything she could to keep her voice steady.

"Yeah, I'm good." His answer caused her to snort. He turned and looked at her.

"What?"

"That phrase. It's never really worked out well for us."

"Well, neither does 'I'm fine' but that doesn't seem to stop you." His voice had taken a hard edge.

"Deeks, I…"

"Kens, we can't do this right now, okay? I need to get my head in the game so I can get the job done. We can finish this later." His eyes, usually full of laughter, were now void of any emotion. Before she could say anything, he turned and walked off.

Just then, her mind seemed to have caught up with his words. We can finish this later. What the hell does that mean? Finish what? The conversation? There won't be a need for the conversation later. He wasn't leaving her, was he? They hit their first bump in the road and he decides he can't do this anymore?

_Oh God. _

No… no there is no way that's what he meant. He had never given up on her, not once, and he wasn't going to start now. And he needed to know that she wasn't going to give up either.

Scribbling something on a piece of paper, she walked back to the bullpen, noticing he was talking to Callen and not paying her any attention. Perfect.

She walked past him silently and slipped the paper in his pocket. She knew he was aware of her being there, so she made sure to lightly run her hand across his back as she walked away. She could feel him relax slightly at her touch, and she knew they would be okay.

* * *

She was sitting in the car with Sam and comms were up and running. Kensi watched as Deeks entered the building. Both had been uncharacteristically quiet for the last hour. Callen and Sam knew it was because of the mission, and they were both bound and determined not to let their personal feelings interfere in their professional lives. But they didn't like it, and it wasn't as easy as either had thought. Both Kensi and Deeks had been extremely jealous and possessive of the other before they became a couple. However, how they would act now that it was 'official' was really anyone's guess.

Deeks walked in first, knowing Callen would saunter in behind him five minutes later. He put his hand in his pocket and felt a piece of paper there. Pulling it out, he instantly recognized his partner's handwriting.

_No matter what, I love you. Be safe and Smile Sunshine. xoxo – K_

Wow, he thought. She seemed to know exactly what he needed to hear and when. But when did she put that in his pocket? His mind flashed back to the bullpen when he was talking to Callen and realized that it would have been the perfect time to slip something in without being noticed. He could still feel her hand on him, reassuring him silently that she was there and she would have his back.

"How you doing over there Kens?" Sam asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Fine." How the hell did he think she was doing? She was going to have to sit here and listen as her boyfriend seduced someone else. Yeah, she was freakin' dandy right now.

Before Sam could respond, she heard said boyfriend's voice in her ear.

"Don't let her fool you Sam. That answer means anything but fine."

"I think you need to focus Deeks." Kensi couldn't help but remember the wardrobe incident and the way he had gone cold when he talked about her use of 'fine.' She was going to have to work on that.

"Oh, I'm focused."

"Yeah, focused on…"

Callen's voice came interrupted them. "Enough you two. Let's just get this done so we can go home." Try as he might, he couldn't keep the smile out of his voice.

Sam decided to turn their attention away from the lovers quarrel.

"I think you're losing your touch G. I could hear your smile over here."

"I'm not going to…"

"I think our favorite waitress has spotted yours truly." Deeks stood up, acting like he was about to leave. At this, everyone went into agent mode. Kensi shifted in her seat, dreading what she was about to hear.

Inside the bar, he kept his cool but played her words over and over in his head. _No matter what, I love you._ That's all he needed to know - they would be okay.

"Well, aren't you handsome. Hope you aren't leaving yet."

Deeks turned to see the blonde haired, blue eyed Mindy standing next to him, giving him the best smile she had and making sure her assets were displayed. _Oh boy were they displayed_, he thought. He wasn't entirely sure how the bikini top was staying in place, well, what was left of the top.

He coughed, feeling very uncomfortable about this, but knowing he needed to make it believable. He put his winning smile on his face as he acted like he was eyeing her with interest, when actually it was disgust.

"No, no I don't think I am. Not as long as you'll be the one serving me." He winked at her.

"Whatever you want, I can get you." She let the implication lay there, trailing her finger down his arm.

Kensi sat there, listening to the exchange and not moving a muscle. In fact, she was so tense her jaw was clenched and she was starting to get a headache. Sam nudged her arm, gaining her attention. He put his finger up to his lips, indicating silence, as he handed her a pale purple piece of paper. Her eyes widened at the sight of it, her body relaxing ever so slightly. She took the paper slowly and Sam looked away, giving her as much privacy as he could.

_Beautiful, strong, determined, stubborn Kensi. I want you to know I love you so much. I hate this as much as you, believe me, but it's part of our job. One day, the situation will be reversed and I will have to listen to you flirt and seduce a suspect. I will be as professional as possible, but it will be hard. I love you sweetheart. You are my life now. And no matter what, we will go home to each other at the end of the night. So think of me - playing with _your_ hair, whispering in _your_ ear, kissing _you_ - and Smile Sunshine. –D_

She stared at the paper, knowing he was right. At the end of the day, not matter what, they would be going home to each other. Thinking about his words, she could almost feel his breath on her skin. Sam cleared his throat then, bringing her back to the present. She snapped her head over to look at him, thinking he was going to have some smart ass comment to make, but he just smiled at her.

_He would know better than anyone how hard this is_. And in his own strong and silent way, he let her know this was normal, and they would be okay. She gave him a grateful smile, placing her hand on his forearm and squeezing, telling him thank you. He just nodded, knowing no words were needed right now.

Hearing Deeks voice, both straightened, ready to get this over with but knowing the worst had yet to come.

Back inside, Callen watched as Mindy straddled Deeks' lap, making sure her too small bikini top was as close to his face as possible. Deeks had put his hand on her back, laughing at something she had said. If Deeks had been single and not on an op, Callen would never look twice at the scene unfolding in front him, the natural way he smiled and used his hands to touch her every now and then. He seemed to know when to lead her on and when the back off, making her want more.

_He's definitely a natural with the ladies_, he thought.

Deeks pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, leaning in to whisper "So, when's your next break?" He could feel her shiver as his breath hit her, and he suppressed his own, but for a very different reason. The only person he wanted to have this effect on was currently outside.

Mindy rubbed against him again, making her intentions very clear. "Come on lover boy. I know a more… private place we can talk." He smiled at her and she stood up, taking his hand and sending him the best flirty look she could over her shoulder.

As soon as they walked to that back, she pushed him into a private room, shoving his jacket to the floor and running her hands up and down his chest, toying with the buttons on his shirt. He avoided the kiss she was trying to place on his lips by moving his hands to her back and kissing her jaw down to her neck. The noises she was making were familiar to him, but not quite right.

Kensi had heard enough of it but had no choice in tuning it out. She needed to be ready to go if he said the distress word. She knew just how effective his mouth was, and she hated Mindy for getting a small taste of it.

"Get her to leave the room Deeks so you can get to the computer. It's in the next room over." Callen's voice broke through the silence.

"Oh baby, that feels SO good," she moaned into his ear, licking it. He jumped a little, and she mistakenly took the action for excitement, not disgust.

"You like that huh? Wait until I do this." She went to move her hand down to his pants when he stepped back. She cocked her head to the side, questioningly look on her face.

"I think uh, I think I need some water. I'm really hot. And parched. Yeah, I am really thirsty right now."

"Wow Deeks, really? That's the best you got?" He heard the smile in Kensi's voice, hating that she was right. Silently cursing her, he stepped up to Mindy, sliding his hands up and down her arms very slowly. She seemed to melt at his touch, and he used it to his advantage.

"A little water and I'll be good to go. Wouldn't want me to work with a dry mouth, now would we?" He nipped her ear, hoping she would get the damn water now.

"No, we wouldn't want that at all. You stay right here and get comfortable, okay? I'll be right back." As soon as Callen saw her come back through the door, he told Deeks to go while he ran interference with Mindy, hoping to buy Deeks some time to get the information.

While Mindy was getting a glass down off the shelf, he walked up.

"You know, it takes a certain kind of girl to wear that bikini."

Hearing this, Kensi snorted with laughter, almost choking on her own spit.

"Hey Sam, can you get my girl something to drink before she kills herself with spit? I'd hate to risk my life with no hope for an end reward."

Sam was openly laughing now as Kensi caught her breath.

"Oh, you think there's a reward for you seducing some bimbo?"

"Nope. I think there's a reward for me for keeping my cute ass alive AND for not actually locking lips with wanna-be Barbie in there." He made his way into the room next door, silently slipping in and putting the thumb drive into the computer. He could hear Callen talking to Mindy, keeping her occupied as long as he could.

"The man has a point, Kens."

"Shut up Sam. I thought you were on my side."

"I don't take sides. You should know that."

"I call bullshit. Sam, you are never on my side." Why was this taking so long?

"Eric, how much longer?" Deeks' voice was a little strained.

"One minute. Almost done."

Callen must have been getting desperate to give him the time he needed because all of a sudden they heard a loud whack that sounded distinctly like a slap.

"What the hell? You just spilled your drink on me! Lousy ass drunk." Mindy stormed off back towards the room.

"Incoming Deeks."

"Done." He pulled the thumb drive out, slipped out and back into the room just shy of Mindy coming in. And boy did she look pissed.

When she walked in the room, he raised his eyebrows at her.

"Some asshole just spilled his drink on me. Give me two minutes to clean up and I'll be right back."

"Don't leave me waiting too long."

He could hear Kensi making gagging noises in his ear and it took everything he had not to laugh.

As soon as Mindy walked out, he told Callen to go. Going into stealth mode, he grabbed the jacket that was on the floor, left the room and made is way out the back. As silently as he could, he closed the door.

"Well, Mindy's going to be disappointed when she goes back in there only to find her entertainment for the evening has left."

He nearly jumped out of his skin, having been so intent on closing the door as silently as he could, he never heard his partner sidle up beside him.

"Well, I figured I had better things to do tonight." He went to put his arm around her and she backed up.

"You reek of cheap perfume lover boy. You aren't getting near me until you have a shower. Maybe two."

He started walking towards her, eyes shining, arms out.

"Come on Sugarbear. You know you want some of this."

Kensi turned and ran, laughing, as her partner chased after her. Yeah, they were going to be okay.

* * *

They made is back to the mission, and as promised, Deeks took two showers. Kensi wasn't the only one who couldn't stand the smell of cheap perfume. Getting back into his jeans and dark blue t-shirt, he went back into the bullpen. Sam and Callen were filling out the paperwork but there was no sign of his Kensi. He was just about to ask when Sam spoke up.

"She's in the firing range. Give her a minute and she'll be okay."

Callen had something to say, too. Looking Deeks in the eye, he told him, "Look Deeks. I really wasn't sure how tonight was going to go down. I would be lying if I said I didn't think one of you was going to mess it up."

Deeks took a step forward, mouth opened to speak but Callen wasn't done yet.

"Whatever you both did tonight to calm the other down, it worked."

Sam decided to interject.

"It's been a long time since I've seen Kensi that wound up. I gave her your letter and immediately saw her relax. Whatever you wrote in there, it cut through the bullshit and brought her back to where she needed to be. You two did it. You made it."

"Now, go make her smile Deeks." Callen smirked at him, sending him on his way. Deeks just stood there, almost shocked, and then seemed to gather his senses.

"Well, that's what I do best." Sending a mock salute, he turned on his heel and made is way to the range.

He stood outside the door while she fired her gun, hitting every target she aimed for.

_Damn she's beautiful. Beautiful and deadly. I wouldn't want her any other way._

Noticing she was done, he opened the door and walked in. She hadn't turned around, standing there with her back to him, trying to even her breathing. He stood behind her and put his arms out, hands against the sides of the divider, effectively trapping her.

"I love you Kensi. We made it passed our first hurdle. I have no doubt there will be many more – some big, some small – but we will come out on top. As long as I have you, I have everything I need. We can do this. We did do this."

She was quiet for a few minutes. She had relaxed her stance a little, letting herself lean back against him. He brought his hands to her shoulders and rubbed them, hoping to get some of the tension out as he waited for her to speak.

"It's not easy what we do. But we do it for the greater good and I can't imagine either one of us doing something different. I love you, and we will make this work, but if you ever try to walk away from me to go on an op and leave me with emotionless eyes and empty words of talking later, I will kill you before you make it three steps. This was our first test, and I have no doubt there will be many more, but from here on out, the last words we say to each other is 'I love you' not 'we can finish this later.' Got it?"

She turned then, hoping to get her point across.

"I got it. But on that same note, don't try to act like you're okay when you're not. I know it sucks, but I'd rather you be pissed off then act like nothing's wrong. Maybe most people would rather have their partner act like everything is okay, but I have worked too damn hard to pull those walls down for you just to try and put that back up."

He kissed her nose and took a step back, knowing they were still at work and didn't want to get caught doing anything.

"We still have a long ways to go on that communication thing, huh?"

He laughed. "Yeah, we do. But I think we're starting to get the hang of it."

"Well then, come on sweet cheeks, let's get out of here."

"Wow, so now you're going to start using cheesy nicknames? That's cool. I'm down for that." She grabbed her gun and headed for the door, Deeks following her. Before she opened it, she turned, and much as Mindy had earlier, she put her hands on his chest, taking her time as she rubbed them first up, then down. His pupils dilated, and she chuckled.

She leaned up, whispering in his ear, "What do you say we take this somewhere a little more… private." All he could do was nod. Placing her lips on his, he eagerly responded, putting his hands on her hips to steady himself. She pulled back, remembering where they were.

"If you get dinner, I think I can take care of dessert." She winked at him as she walked away, leaving him with his mouth open. He quickly recovered, racing after her.

Yeah, he thought, they were more than okay.

* * *

_AN - Sooo...there is it. Worth the wait? Let me know! _


	16. Chapter 16

_So - this chapter is a little different then other previous ones. A HUGE thank you to bookdiva for letting me bounce ideas off of her and for reading this over for me. She is INCREDIBLE; if it's somehow possible you haven't read her stories, you really need to go check them out._

* * *

As Kensi woke up, she slid her hand over the sheets next her, noting the cold sheets. Sighing heavily and opening her eyes, she saw the empty bed and her heart skipped a beat before she tampered down the initial feeling of panic. Even after all this time Jack's abrupt departure from her life still brought nightmares. But they had changed. Instead of waking up to a cold bed and remembering him, she now had a brush of fear that it was Deeks who had left her.

But it never lasted more than a few seconds, until she could get her bearings and remember that unlike Jack, Deeks would never leave her. She knew that with every ounce of her being, and she cursed her ex-fiancée for instilling this natural reaction in her. And Deeks being Deeks was nothing if not amazing for knowing this. Every time she had woken up alone, there was always a note from him. She rolled over and saw that beautiful piece of paper on the night stand.

_Good morning gorgeous. At the beach with Monty, catching some waves. Be home soon. I love you._

He didn't need to do it, but the first morning he had come back from surfing and found her staring at his side of the bed, rubbing the sheets with a faraway look in her eyes, he made sure to never leave her without a note again.

Getting up, she headed to the shower and hopped in, letting this morning ritual wake her up, knowing there was coffee waiting for her in the kitchen. As she washed her hair she thought back to the night before, how they had sat on the couch and he had played with her dark brown locks. He told her that no matter what kind of day they had, coming home and doing something as simple as running his hands through her hair helped relax him. She had confessed that the feeling of him doing that was as calming to her as it was to him. He had smiled at her and kissed her, letting the passion run through them.

Smiling, she got out of the shower and went in search of clothes. _I may as well just bring all my clothes over here for as often as I am here._

That thought stopped her dead in her tracks. Wait, was she wanting to move in with him?

_Well, it's not like you sleep in your own bed anymore. And when you do, he's with you._ Thinking, she tried to remember the last time they had slept apart for the night. Hmmm… there was that one time she had been mad at him and tried sleeping on the couch. Nope, that didn't count, he had picked her up after she had fallen asleep and carried her to bed.

If she had to guess, it had been about four months or so since they had slept in separate beds. She could see the evidence of her all around the room. Her night clothes strewn all over the floor, some work clothes piled in the corner, shoes in the closet. Her toothbrush next to his in the bathroom, their shampoo and conditioner sharing a space in the shower. She pulled the towel tighter around her and sat down on the floor, her legs no longer supporting her.

_Would it be such a bad thing to move in with him? _

Before she could answer that question, she heard the front door open and Monty came running in, giving her kisses.

"What are you doing on the floor Princess? Need some help with that towel?" He stood against the door frame, seeing something that looked like panic in her eyes and tried to lighten the mood in the room.

Instead of answering him, she just sat there and petted Monty. He pushed himself off and sat down in front her, taking her free hand in his. While he waited for her to tell him what was going on in her head, he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles, gently letting her know whatever was wrong, and it would be okay.

She gathered her thoughts and looked at him, seeing the warmth and care and pure love in his eyes.

_No, it wouldn't be bad at all._

"I was, uh… I was in the shower."

"Really? Well now that you mention it, your hair IS wet." A smile played on his lips, as he squeezed her hand. The answering glare made him laugh.

"Okay, you were in the shower. Is that a problem?"

"I have a lot of stuff here."

"You do."

"Deeks, when was the last time we slept in our own beds, away from each other?"

He knew immediately where she was going with this. How he answered this question, and her response to it, was suddenly incredible important. He had been waiting for this since  
he came back from his assignment with LAPD and they had become official, but he knew if he moved too fast it would scare her away.

"Four months and ten days."

He watched her face carefully, looking for a sign of which way this was about to go. She was either going to be extremely freaked out that he had gotten her to basically move in with him without her knowledge and consent, or she would happy with this. When she didn't immediately answer, he let go of her hand and got up.

Kensi started to feel the panic all over again. The threat of tears hit her and with a choked voice she called out to him.

"Wait Deeks, please… please, don't go."

He turned back towards her, noticing the tears and hating himself for allowing her to think he was leaving her.

"I'm not going anywhere, Kens. I just want to show you something." He walked out of the room and she held her breath, waiting for him to come back.

A few minutes later, he walked in with a cup of coffee and some pictures. Handing her the coffee he sat back down, laying the pictures out in front of them. There were seven in total, each one showing a smiling and laughing couple who had both been through so much yet still managed to find the good in the world.

"Kens, what do you see when you look at these?" His voice was gentle as he asked her.

"Us. I see us." She picked up the picture of them at the beach and smiled.

"I want to add to these pictures. Every day. You asked when the last time we spent the night apart and I answered you. But I don't want to remember the last time; I want to know that no matter what, I am coming home with you, to you."

He leaned forward and kissed her softly, his hand cupping her cheek. She smiled against his mouth, secure in knowledge that he wanted her - with him – no matter what.

"I have a lot of stuff."

His entire body went lax. She was good with this. She wanted this too.

"I think 'a lot' is an understatement, but we can go through it."

"I have a perfectly normal amount of stuff Deeks. And if you start making hoarder jokes, you _will_ be sleeping on the couch from now on."

She played with the ends of the towel, watching his eyes grow dark as she inched it up. He tried to gain control of the situation, knowing they didn't have a lot of time.

"Hey, um, are we still…" He lost his train of thought as she stood up as his eyes travelled the length of her legs.

"Having lunch with my mom today? Yeah." She let the towel fall to the floor as Deeks' jaw dropped.

"Oh wow. Well, that just happened." He put his hand on her ankle and let his fingers trail up her legs as he stood up, never letting his hand leave her now naked body.

"We still have time. Got any suggestions Shaggy?" She laughed as he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to bed.

"Oh, I'm sure I can think of something."

* * *

"Wow mom, you outdid yourself. The lasagna was perfect. I'm stuffed."

"Well, I mean, how can you not be? You ate more than me and your mom combined." Deeks smirked at her while Kensi gave him her famous death glare.

"She always did like her food." Julia chuckled, thinking back to Kensi as a child.

"Hope my pantry is big enough," Deeks said under his breath.

"Oh? Why's that?" Julia looked back and forth between the two. Deeks just looked at Kensi, silently asking her if she wanted to tell her mom the big news.

She didn't take her eyes off Deeks as she answered her mom, "I am moving in with Deeks."

Deeks smiled, knowing how big of a deal this was. "The sooner the better, too."

"Well, congratulations you two. You both deserve all the happiness in the world. If you need any help moving things, please let me know."

"Thanks mom, we will definitely take you up on that." Kensi smiled, stood up and started clearing the plates from the table.

"Kensi sweetheart, you don't have to do that."

Deeks stood as well, making his way into the kitchen.

"You cooked Julia. Let us clean up, it's the least we can do."

"Okay, well, while you do that I have something for you. I was cleaning out the attic the other day when I found a box of your father's things. I thought you might want it." Kensi was just staring at her mom. She didn't have many things left of her dad – a few pictures, his medal and his rifle. She couldn't speak, so she just nodded her head.

"Marty, can you help me get it? It's not that heavy but getting it down might be a little awkward for me."

Deeks looked at his partner, seeing the awe in her eyes at the prospect of getting something else that was her dads_. I would go to the center of the Earth if that's where it was,_ he thought to himself. An attic? He had this.

"I know doing dishes is a foreign thing for you Kens. Try not to completely soak yourself and the 10 foot radius around you while I'm gone, okay?" He smiled and pecked her lips, following Julia up the stairs to the hallway. He pulled the rope that was hanging down, letting the stairs unfold.

As he climbed up and turned on the light, he looked around. He saw boxes marked 'Christmas' and a few that said 'Kensi' on them. He wondered briefly what Kensi was like as a child and what could be hidden in those boxes. Before he could dwell anymore on it, Julia had made it up the stairs behind him.

"Okay, so the box is over here. Like I said, it's not heavy, and I could have gotten it down by myself, but I wanted to get you alone for a minute."

Deeks raised his eyebrows at that last sentence. What the…?

"You love her. I can see it in your eyes, in the way you have to be close to her. You can read her like no one else can, get her to open up in ways I've only dreamed of. But I can also tell that she loves you more than life itself and would do anything for you. I have watched the way you have entire conversations with your eyes. It's an incredible thing to witness. I have never seen her look this happy. I am content with her job because I know you are there to keep her safe, and will do so at the sake of your own life. But it also scares me, because I know she would do the same for you in a heartbeat."

She stopped and looked around, glancing at the boxes that littered the floor. After a moment, she looked back at him.

"This stuff up here, it's her past. It's what helped her be who she is today. But you, Marty Deeks, _you_ are her future. She will be yours forever as long as you treat her right. She trusts you with something much more important to her than her life, she trusts you with her heart." Her eyes were shining with unshed tears as she said this, and Deeks just nodded. He fully understood what she was saying, because he still didn't know what he had done so right in this life to have Kensi _want_ to be with him. But whatever it was, he wasn't letting her go now. Not ever.

Julia pulled an envelope out of her pocket.

"Donald always said if something happened to him, and he wasn't around when Kensi brought home the man who would forever hold her heart, that I was to give this to him. I promised him I would not give the envelope to just anyone, but the one who was right for her." She handed over the envelope, but instead of letting go when he took it, she held firm and looked him in the eyes.

"In giving this to you, Marty Deeks, I am telling you that one day, when the time is right, you have my permission to marry her."

His breath hitched. She let go of the envelope and he took it, holding it in his hands and staring at it. When he looked back at her, his eyes were bright.

"Julia, Kensi… she is my _everything_. I can't imagine life without her. And I will spend the rest of my life showing her exactly what she means to me. I know it won't be easy, because nothing has ever been easy with us. But she's worth it. _We_ are worth it. Having your permission makes me realize exactly how much I want that happy ending with her. That you think I am the man who can make her the happiest - to love and cherish every second we have together - well it means more than you possibly know."

She nodded in understanding. Turning, she sniffed a little and wiped her eyes.

"If I were you, I would probably read that first in private."

"Yes ma'am, I will do that."

Smiling at him, she indicated the box.

"Well, this is it. We better get down there or Kensi is going to start wondering where we are." He laughed and leaned down, grabbing the box, and carefully made his way down the attic steps. He stood there and waited for Julia to descend and then they made their way back downstairs together.

Walking back in the kitchen, he sat the box on the counter and looked around.

"Wow! How come you can't clean up like this at home Fern?" She turned and lightly punched his arm.

"Don't get used to it Deeks. This doesn't happen often."

"Yeah, don't I know it! Often… like never?"

Julia chuckled, listening to these two and loving their banter.

"Deeks…"

"Kens…"

Both of them were looking at each other, heads cocked to the side, locked in a stale mate. Kensi because well, he was right; Deeks because he didn't want to sleep on the couch if he kept going.

"Okay you two, how about some pie for dessert," Julia said, still laughing. Kensi was the first to break eye contact at the word 'pie,' her eyes lighting up. Deeks laughed as well and grabbed her hand, unable to stop the kiss he landed on her cheek.

"Come on my Sugarbear. Let's get you some pie." She squeezed his hand and punched his shoulder with her free hand. She didn't want him to think she was going soft. All she got was an answering laugh.

* * *

Kensi opened the door to his – _their_ - apartment that evening, letting Deeks go in first to put the box down.

"Fern, I'm going to walk Monty, okay? I'll be back soon." He kissed her, wrapping his arms around her as she deepened the kiss.

_Yep, I can definitely get used to this,_ he thought. Monty's bark caused them to pull back. He placed their foreheads together and looked in her eyes.

"I know, boy, I'm coming. We are really going to have to talk about your timing though." She laughed when he said this and stepped back.

"Go on Shaggy. Take your sidekick and let him do his business." She swatted his butt and he laughed.

"I knew you liked my ass. That's the only reason you're moving in isn't it?"

"Get it right. I'm moving in for the free housekeeping and chef services. The ass is just an added bonus." She winked at him, making sure he saw her eyes roam over his body very slowly. By the time she got to his eyes he was smirking and wiggling his eyebrows at her. She threw the cat pillow at him as he walked out with Monty in tow.

He walked Monty to the beach a few blocks away. He had brought the envelope with him that Julia gave him, wanting to read it in private. He had no doubt he would share it with Kensi, after all it was her dad that had written it, but he wanted to read it first. He sat down on the sand, letting the last of the sun's rays warm him. Monty was running around sniffing everything, but never leaving the sight of his owner. Deeks took the letter and opened it up, taking a deep breath as he started reading.

_I will never have the pleasure of meeting you, talking to you, looking you in the eye as you ask for my daughters hand in marriage. I will never see the love you have for her shining in your eyes, or hear the smile in her voice as she talks about you. I will never shake your hand or smoke a cigar with you or give you the third degree to make sure you are good enough for her. _

_Kensi Marie Blye won't just fall in love with anybody, though. He has to be fearless and brave, tough and smart. He has to know when to be funny and when to be serious. Because my baby girl is way too serious for her own good._

_I hope you make her smile. Every day. Because there is nothing in this world that can compare to the REAL Kensi smile. _

_I hope you make her laugh. Even as a child she was serious, and I want you to make sure she takes time to enjoy life and appreciate the small things._

_I hope you are her safe haven. She would take on the world if she could. She needs someone she can come home to who helps her remember that she doesn't have to do it by herself. Someone who shoulders her responsibilities with her, not for her. If she wants your help, don't make her feel helpless._

_I hope you are her best friend, her most trusted confidant. Let her tell you her secrets, but safe guard them. She doesn't trust easily, and if she trusts you, you have the world at your feet. But trust her in return with your secrets and fears. _

_I hope you are her light in the darkness. The one who will always be there to chase away her demons and save her from the nightmares. She needs someone she can count on always. Don't let her push you away, no matter what. If she thinks she is protecting you from something, she will do whatever she has to. Do NOT let her do that to you. Remind her, every day, you are in this with her, that she doesn't have to do anything alone. One day, hopefully, she will fully understand this. _

_I hope you are patient with her. She is proud, and stubborn, and hard-headed. She can argue with you until she is blue in face, regardless of if she is right or wrong. I think she got that from me._

_But most of all, I hope you love her, every day, no matter what. She deserves nothing less than that. If you are reading this, Julia gave it to you because she feels that you are THE man for my Kensi. She has seen the way you look at her, the way you treat her, the way you love her. And she has seen the way Kensi loves you. That's good enough for me. So young man, know this. She is my everything, even though I am not there anymore. Treat her right and love her with everything you have. If you can do that, then you have my permission to marry her. _

_- Donald Blye_

Deeks had known from the minute he saw her in the MMA gym that she was it, the one for him. Things may have started out less than ideal for them, but they had made it work.

The doubt he had in himself regarding Kensi – not being good enough for her – was tampered down tonight. Between Julia and her dad, he knew he would never truly be good enough for her, but he was the only one who would ever love her like she deserves to be loved. He was the only one in this world who would treat her like the princess she is. And he was never going to let her go.

He had just gotten her to agree to move in with him. He knew right now was too soon to take the next step, but he would be ready for it when it presented itself. He would have married her years ago if the choice was his, but it wasn't. He wanted nothing more than to slip a ring on her finger, making her as his forever. And one day, he would.

On his way back home with Monty, he thought back to the last few months he and Kensi had been together. It was perfect the way they complimented each other. While today was too soon to propose marriage, he knew it would happen eventually.

He walked in and was greeted by the sight of a beautiful woman in an LAPD t-shirt and yoga pants dancing around in his – their – living room. Monty started barking and Kensi danced over to him, grabbing his hands and making him dance with her. He may not have her moves, but he would indulge her tonight. And every night for the rest of their lives.

Shaking his booty to the rhythm of the music he twirled her around, making her laugh. They danced through another four songs when a slow song came on. He stopped and bowed to her, offering her his hand.

"My lady, may I have this dance?"

She smiled at him and took his hand. With one arm around each other, their other hands held together against his chest over his heart, they swayed to the music.

"I love you, Kensi. You will never realize how much."

"I love you to the moon and back Deeks. Always have, always will."

When the song ended, he headed to the fridge and grabbed some beers. Handing her one and setting his on the table, he grabbed the box of her dad's things.

"I'll start dinner. Why don't you look through this and see what's in there." He gave her a gentle smile, knowing she had been waiting to do this until he was home. She smiled at him and nodded her head.

Opening the box was like Christmas. There wasn't much in it, but she knew she would cherish every single thing in there.

The first thing she pulled out was an old Marine Corp sweatshirt. She brought it up to her nose, hoping it would still smell like him but time had washed away his scent. Setting it down next to her, she reached back in the box, this time bringing out a picture album completely filled with Kensi as a baby, surrounded by the love of her parents. Turning the pages, looking at the pictures there, she couldn't stop the prick of tears in her eyes.

When she was done, she closed it and ran her hands over the cover of it. Placing it next to the sweatshirt so she could show Deeks, she leaned over and looked in, seeing a few books that he had loved. There were a couple of pictures of her dad with his old unit. But what caught her eye was another picture at the bottom, the glass cracked. Pulling it out, she looked at her parents on their wedding day. Julia in a beautiful white flowing dress, and a dapper Donald Blye in his dress uniform, looking at each other with such love in their eyes you couldn't help but stare.

Deeks walked up and stood behind the couch looking down at her and the picture she was holding. He put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed.

"Look at them Deeks. Look how happy they were." He could see where her thoughts were going, wondering what had happened and worried that she would follow the same path. He walked around the couch and sat down next to her.

"That won't happen to us Kens. I will never willingly leave you. And you can bet your ass that if you ever left me, I would follow you around the world and get you back, no matter what. You are it for me."

She laid her head on his shoulder, letting his words wash over her, giving her the comfort she needed. She would never know how this amazing man seemed to know exactly what she needed but she wasn't going to complain. She turned the picture over to see if there was anything written on the back when she saw a piece of paper barely sticking out of the back of the frame. Intrigued, she moved the tabs holding it together and pulled the paper free. As she opened it up, she recognized her dad's handwriting and moved it a little, letting Deeks read it with her.

_My beautiful Kensi,_

_I hope you know how proud I am of you. I love you so much baby girl. This picture you are holding shows one of the happiest days of my life. The other was the day you were born. I know things didn't turn out right for your mom and me, but I want you to know I never stopped loving her. You and her were my whole world, but my job, well it tore us apart. I can't blame her for wanting something better, to be with someone she didn't have to worry about every day they weren't there. I wanted nothing more than for her to be happy. And if that wasn't with me, then so be it. But I can promise you I will love her until the day I die. _

_This picture reminds me that happiness is possible. And when you find it baby girl, when you love someone more than the air that you breathe, then don't let go. Ever. Fight for it every day. I wish I had fought harder. I don't want you to look back with 'what ifs,' it's not the way to live life. I love you sweetheart._

They sat there in silence for a few minutes. She looked over at the man she loved more than the air she breathed and smiled.

"I will fight for you, for us, every day."

He took the picture and the letter and put it on the table, taking her hand and standing up, looking in her eyes and repeating her words.

"Every day, Kens."

* * *

_AN - I would __REALLY__ love to hear what you thought of this chapter. Leave me a review and let me know. :)_


	17. Chapter 17

_I know this one took a while. Apparently when I do a chapter with a case involved, my brain stops working. _

_HUGE thanks to bookdiva and moresassythanclassy for all their encouragement and help sorting my thoughts and getting it down on paper. (and bookdiva for looking it over for me!) You ladies are absolutely amazing!_

* * *

Two weeks had gone by since they had gotten the box from Julia containing her dad's things. Deeks had yet to show her the letter Julia had given him from Donald to his daughter's future husband. _Husband_. Kensi's husband. That was a role he would be honored to have, and hoped to one day. But first things first, they had to get her stuff moved in.

Kensi had been procrastinating on packing her place up. She always managed to come up with an excuse, and Deeks was starting to wonder what her thought process was behind it. It's not like she didn't basically live with him anyway. She may not have formally packed up her things, but most of her clothes and personal items were already taking up space in his closet and around the house.

As Deeks walked into the living room that morning to get the coffee started and walk Monty, he looked around. They had added some of her photos of them to the shelves, along with her movies and her favorite books. What bothered Deeks was they were still paying rent on her place…that still had her stuff in it. But he wasn't going to push her. She would finish it when she was ready. He knew she had a lot of memories stored there, and it would take her some time.

Leaving her a note that said he was taking Monty for a walk, he put his clothes on and silently crept out of the apartment.

Kensi woke up ten minutes later, smelling the coffee he had already brewed. She rolled over, seeing her note and smiled. She stretched for a minute before getting out of bed and padding her way to the kitchen. She fixed her coffee and when she heard the door open, she pulled another cup down from the shelf and poured him a cup too. As soon as she put the coffee pot back, she felt two strong arms encircle her waist and a chin land on her shoulder.

"Good morning beautiful." He nuzzled her neck and placed a soft, gently kiss against it.

"Mmmm… good morning." She leaned her body back against his, savoring the feel of him.

She put her cup down and turned, wrapping her arms around his torso.

"So, I was thinking since we have the weekend off…" Before she could finish her sentence, her phone rang. With a heavy sigh, she saw it was Eric and answered.

Deeks took his coffee cup, and by the look on her face he knew it wasn't good. He gulped down what he could and turned, walking off to the bedroom to change his clothes.

Kensi followed a minute behind him, grabbing some pants and a shirt.

"Case then, huh?" he asked.

"Got it in one." She closed the bathroom door and quickly changed and brushed her teeth, putting her hair up in a ponytail.

As soon as she opened the door to step out, Deeks wrapped his arms around her and twirled her around, making her laugh.

"What are you doing Deeks? We have to go." She tried to sound serious but failed miserably.

"I love you, Kensi."

She looked him in the eye before kissing his lips, long and slow and full of passion.

"I love you too, babe. Now, we gotta go."

They arrived at OSP, dropping their bags at their desks and bounding up the stairs. Hearing the whoosh of the doors, the rest of the team turned.

"Glad you could join us." Callen smirked at them both.

"Hey, just be glad you weren't interrupting anything." This earned Deeks an elbow to the stomach and a glare from Kensi, who was now blushing furiously.

"What do we got guys? It's the weekend."

"Well Ms. Blye, unfortunately the bad guys don't always get the memo and follow the Monday-Friday work week." Hetty snuck in from somewhere, making them all jump a little.

"How does she do that?" Deeks whispered to Kensi.

"One of the many things you will always be left to ponder, Mr. Deeks." This time it was Deeks who started blushing.

Eric started telling them about the case. "LAPD has been doing an undercover operation to get information on an upcoming drug ring. The leader is Luis Sanchez. They have a very unique type of heroin that they've made; it doesn't take as much to get you high, making the overdose amount much lower than normal. This unique blend of drug has already killed 7 people, the last one being a high ranking officer's son."

Eric turned to Hetty, letting her finish it up, knowing at least two people were about to get very upset.

"LAPD and NCIS are going to team up together, as they already have someone set up within the ranks. Ms. Blye, you will be going undercover as Tracey Petty, whose family is in the 'distribution' industry, and the girlfriend of Steven Canes."

Deeks decided to speak up.

"So I'm going to be Steven Canes?"

"No, Mr. Deeks. Like I said, we are working with LAPD on this, and since you are no longer LAPD, Ms. Blye will be partnered up with their guy."

"Hetty, this is not a good idea. I'm her partner. I should be the one who has her back, not someone we don't know."

"You seem to have very little faith in me Mr. Deeks. She's not going undercover with someone we don't know."

"What do you mean Hetty? Who is she going undercover with?" Callen was getting tired of the run around.

At those words, the doors to OPS whooshed open again.

"I'm Steven Canes. Nice to see everyone again." There stood Trey Norton.

* * *

Deeks had a bad feeling about this. Sure, Trey had been her partner while he was still with LAPD, but that didn't mean that he was okay with him having her back again. He knew Trey was good at his job – if he wasn't Deeks would have put up a lot bigger fight about this assignment – but Deeks was never comfortable about Kensi going undercover without him. Had Deeks ever voiced this to her, he knew without a doubt he wouldn't have children, ever, but he was sneaky enough to make sure he was as close as possible if she needed him.

Deeks was pacing outside the dressing room while Kensi got ready. He knew he should be in the bull pen, helping everyone plan the details, but he needed to be close to her.

"Deeks, stop it. I can hear the path you are making from here. It's going to be fine. I've worked with Trey before, I know his signals," she threw the curtain open "and I trust him. Not like I trust you, but I know he's got my back if I need it. And I know you will be there, too. So stop, please. You're going to put me on edge if you keep it up."

As soon as she had opened the curtain, he had stopped and stared at her. She was wearing a very low cut beige halter top, denim skirt that reached mid-thigh and beige strappy sandals. Her hair was down, wavy, just how he liked it.

"You have some drool right… there." She pointed to the side of her mouth, laughing a little. He seemed to snap out of his trance, meeting her eyes.

"That tends to happen when I see a gorgeous woman."

"Oh, so any time you see a gorgeous woman, I need to wipe drool from your mouth? I have say that doesn't bode well for our relationship."

"No, see, that's not… What I meant was…" His attempts at backtracking were not going as well as he planned. Hell, the whole situation had gotten turned around.

"I'm going to start over. Wow Kensi, you look amazing. And you are the only woman who can make me drool. The _only_ woman I want to drool over." Satisfaction reached Kensi's eyes and she grinned. She knew what he was trying to say earlier, but sometimes it was so easy to get him flustered.

"Good save there Deeks." He pulled her into his arms, relishing the feel of her. His brows furrowed when his hands touched an almost bare back.

"Where the hell is the rest of this shirt? If you can even call it that? Half of your ladies are already showing, and now you seem to have misplaced the back." He gasped when his mind caught up and his eyes got wide. "You aren't wearing a bra!"

Kensi pulled back. "It amazes me sometimes that you used to be a Detective. No Mr. Super-Special-Agent, I am not wearing a bra. Didn't really go with the outfit. But if you play nice, I'll show you tonight where I keep my weapon." She smirked at him as his eyes glazed over a little.

"Promises, promises."

"I _always_ make good on my promises, Deeks. You should know that by now." She let the implication lay there and walked off towards the guys, putting an extra sway in her hips knowing he was watching.

"Yes, yes I do." He was struck with an idea. He quickly pulled two pieces of paper and jotted some things down and then followed, knowing now was the time to get into work mode. She would need her partner out there, not her boyfriend. But that wasn't going to stop him from leaving her a little something. Much as she had when he had gone undercover, he watched as she concentrated on what was said and slipped something in the purse she would carrying.

Callen noticed him walk up and turned his attention.

"Deeks, you will be going in as Jason Williams. They are going to go in today and get Kensi established as Trey's girlfriend. Eric and Nell are working on the backstopping now so there won't be any questions as to her story. Sometime in the next couple of days you will go in as their associate. Sam and I will be around the corner ready to move if either of you say the word. LAPD will also be there for back up. Trey has been in enough that these guys are ready to make a deal and get the drugs moving soon."

Deeks looked at Kensi, eyebrows wiggling.

"So, I see Tracey and Jason are making a come-back."

"Yeah, maybe this time we can get pictures." She scoffed at him, not catching onto his thinking until it was too late.

"You mean like the two of us at the Santa Monica pier, or the kind where you're not wearing anything but a smile."

All she did was smile at him - letting the love and passion she felt for him shine through - and licked her lips.

"Wow. So, definitely, uh, X-rated then."

"Seriously guys? Do you do this all the time?" Trey looked confused.

Kensi turned. "Do what?"

"Never mind. Don't worry about." Trey just shook his head. "Come on Tracey, let's get this party started." He offered his arm to her. Before she could respond, Deeks cut in.

"Come on Trey. You have a couple of minutes before you need to leave. I got something to show you before you go." Deeks nodded his hand, indicating for him to follow. He winked at Kensi as he passed, and led Trey to the gym. As Trey walked in, Deeks turned and handed him a piece of paper. Without another word, Deeks turned and walked out, wanting to talk to his girl before this started.

Trey looked at the paper a moment before he opened it.

_Detective Trey Norton_

_That girl out there, she's my everything. I know you don't need me to tell you this, but she can kick ass and take names with her eyes closed. I need to know that you have her back and will make sure to bring her home to me each day until this assignment is over. It's nothing against you, this is for my piece of mind. Maybe it's selfish on my part, but I have an overwhelming need to protect her, to make sure she comes back in one piece. While she is with you, I ask that you look out for her when I can't. I'm not in any way doubting your abilities, or hers, I just know how reckless she can be without me there to watch her back (I know, I'm probably preaching to the choir right now). Just know that I am entrusting you with my world._

_Also, remember I am listening in. Any inappropriate comments _**_not_**_ made by me will be handled accordingly. – Marty Deeks_

Trey folded the paper back and stuck it in his pocket, knowing he would do whatever he had to do to make sure they came home to each other. He had wondered when Deeks was away if there was something between the two. He knew that the then Detective had managed to get gifts to Kensi to make her smile, and it had always worked. When he had come back and they had talked, he remembered the hurt and guilt on his face when he learned of the accident. They may not have been together then, but they were definitely together now. And he wanted nothing more than a lifetime of happiness for them.

Back in the bull pen, Deeks had pulled Kensi to the side.

"What's the safe word?"

"Seriously Deeks? How did you get them to agree to 'fern' as the safe word?"

"You don't want to know." She laughed then, and hugged him, needing the contact to get her through the rest of the day. She saw Trey walking back from the gym and started to pull away, but her boyfriend had other things in mind. He tightened his arms around her and whispered into her ear.

"I love you, Kensi. We agreed after the last OP that that would be what was said when it was time to leave. I love you, and I will be there with you."

She repeated the words he had said to her years before, and the words he had written to her months before.

"Even if I can't see you, you'll be there."

"Exactly."

"I love you, Marty Deeks." She pulled away from him and smiled. "Now, let's get this over with so I make good on my promise." His mind immediately returned to the dressing room and getting to search her for weapons later.

Once she knew he was on the same page as her, she winked at him. Looking over at Trey who had walked up, she smiled.

"Well come on Mr. Canes, I believe it's time for Tracey to join the party." And with that, the team left, ready to catch the bad guys and save the day.

Trey drove Kensi to a small warehouse on the outskirts of LA. As they pulled up, Kensi began rummaging in her purse for her Chapstick. What she found was something completely different. She pulled the pale purple piece of paper out and read it quickly.

_I love you sweetheart. Remember, I'm here if you need me, and be safe. Smile Sunshine – D_

It wasn't much, but it was exactly what she needed to calm her nerves. Trey put the car in park and she knew it was time for Kensi to take a backseat and let Tracey do her thing.

* * *

Everybody met back at the mission the night before and did a quick de-brief. Trey had introduced Kensi and explained that her dad was successful in distribution and was looking for new clients. Luis had been receptive to the idea, but before he agreed to it, he wanted to meet daddy and discuss the issues at hand. Kensi had quickly put him in his place, letting him know that if she wasn't good enough to go through, then this business arrangement wasn't going to work. As she had gotten up to leave, Luis grabbed her arm - a little too forcefully, making sure to put his own mark on her - and smiled at her. Apparently he had a thing for bossy women. The way he leered at her the rest of the night had creeped out Kensi, but she kept her cover as Tracey, Steven's girlfriend, and made sure to act like it.

_He's good_, she thought as she and Trey left. Luis had managed to let his eyes and his strength try to intimidate her – hence the bruising – but his voice had never let on what going on. All the team would have heard was him making conversation and getting information, nothing that would have alerted them to anything else.

By the time the team made it back to home base, Kensi was sporting a new bruise on her upper arm that looked just like Luis's hand. As soon as Deeks saw it, his face turned red at his attempt to contain his anger.

He quickly turned to Trey.

"Where the hell were you when this happened?" His teeth were gritted together and his hands were clenched at his sides. Kensi placed a hand on his back.

"Don't do this Deeks. This wasn't his fault. He was there but had his back turned looking at a sample of the drugs. Luis did this to see what my reaction would be. I passed his little test, that's what matters." She looked him in the eye and silently told him not to do this right now. She hated it has much as he did and needed her partner right now, not her pissed off vengeful boyfriend. He could play that later.

He forced himself to relax, knowing this wasn't the time or place to do this. She was right, this wasn't anyone's fault. It would have happened if he had been there or not. He loosened his hands up.

"Sorry man." That's all Deeks was willing to give up right now, but at least it was something.

"It's alright." He nodded at him in understanding. Although he knew there was nothing he could have done, he still felt the guilt, and didn't need Deeks adding onto it.

The all walked up to OPS and debriefed, and went home for some much needed rest.

The next day everyone arrived early. Plans were made and it was decided that after yesterday's shenanigans by Luis Sanchez, Deeks would be coming in sooner than later. Luis was starting to get ballsy, and everybody would feel a little better with someone else in there.

Trey knew how Luis did business, and showing up with a new guy unexpectedly would cause him to close up. They decided that Kensi and Trey would go in and let them know that her dad wanted someone else there for the meetings. He had been unhappy with the bruises on Kensi's arm and wanted to make sure nothing like that happened again.

Granger had shown up that morning, and the plan was for him to play the part of Kensi's dad if needed. They would set up at a safe house, knowing Luis would want to send someone to get Deeks. Sam would be stationed as a body guard, and if Luis's man got suspicious, Granger would set things straight.

While everyone walked out to the car, Kensi and Deeks hung back a little. They had talked the night before and Deeks knew that showing that kind of reaction wasn't good for anything. He stopped her, leaning close and whispering in her ear.

"I love you, always have, always will. Be safe Princess." He kissed her cheek.

"I love you more. Be good while I'm gone." She smiled at him and walked to the car with Trey.

Sitting in her seat was a beloved Twinkie.

"Did you put this there?" She looked at Trey, wondering if he would have done it but knowing instinctively he didn't.

"Nope, it was there when we came out." She just smiled and nodded her head, knowing a blonde surfer was looking out for her. They drove off, Kensi savoring her Twinkie, and went to get the day started.

Callen followed behind Trey and Kensi while Sam drove with Granger and Deeks to the safe house, waiting on word from Callen that one of Luis's men was on the move to come pick him up.

Once they reached the house, Granger asked to see Deeks' alias credentials. Deeks pulled his wallet and verified the driver's license and credit cards were for Jason Williams. Deeks would have taken offense to this if it wasn't for that one time Callen had picked up the wrong wallet and ended up having to wing it. Now, every time someone went under, it was normal practice for another member to check it.

Before Deeks put his wallet back, he saw a favored blue piece of paper. He excused himself to the bathroom and pulled the paper out.

_To My Heart_

_You are my light in the darkness, my compass when I don't know where I'm going. You listen to my crazy ramblings and know that sometimes all I need is a hug. You have managed to become my everything, and I hope you never let me fall. And if I do fall, I am safe in the knowledge you will be there to catch me. Please know that no matter what happens, you are in my head and in my heart, forever. Don't worry my knight, you will ride in and be able to watch over your Princess soon, but please don't think I am the damsel in distress. You will lose vital parts if you forget I can take care of myself. In the meantime, Smile Sunshine. – K_

He laughed out loud, not caring if anyone heard him. She may not realize it, but he would always be there to save his damsel. It had to be done with the upmost care, to make it look like he was merely helping her out. Over the years, his bad ass partner had needed saving more times than either wanted to admit, but he didn't mind. It was a job he would never stop doing.

_Yes Princess, I will be there to watch over you soon._

Meanwhile, Kensi and Trey had pulled up and headed inside. Trey grabbed her hand and squeezed, letting her know that it would be okay. She looked over at him and smiled, squeezing back. And while this hand felt foreign to her, the reassurance it gave her wasn't.

Kensi had worn another halter top, this time coupled with tight jeans and boots. She hadn't wanted to cover up the now purple finger shaped bruise on her arm. It served as a reminder to everyone not to let their guard down.

"Well good morning you two love birds. I trust you got a good night's sleep." Luis's voice was warm, but his eyes held annoyance and a flicker of anger. Kensi was confused about this but didn't say anything.

"Would have been better if you hadn't decided to mark Tracey. Her father is two steps away from pulling the plug on the deal. You might want to tone down the possessive streak Luis. It's not a good look on you and it could ruin great plans. Don't forget it's me she's with, not you."

"I think your people need to stop reading so much into things. She merely ran into a door, didn't you dear?" He looked at her, the challenge clear in his eyes.

"One hell of a door. And because of my… clumsiness, my father has sent for his man to watch out for me. He will be arriving at the house in a few hours, and if you want this deal to go down, I would suggest you send someone to get him. My father is very protective of his family."

Luis looked infuriated. If it was possible, smoke would have been coming out of his ears. He hated that his impulse yesterday was now bringing in another person, but he was also smart enough to know that losing this business alliance would set him back greatly. He wanted to get his product out to more than just local clients, and his research told him that her father was the best way to do that.

"Under the circumstances, I think we can arrange that." He narrowed his eyes at her, calculating what he could and could not get away with. Trey saw the look and put his arm around her waist, telling the other man to back off. At that moment, Kensi's phone rang. She saw the number and knew this was it.

"Hi daddy." She listened as Granger told her they were in position. What she wasn't expecting was Granger asking to put Luis on the phone. Kensi cocked her head to the side, handing Luis the phone.

"He wants to talk to you." Luis took the phone, and did nothing but listen.

"Mr. Sanchez. I am not happy that my daughter came home with a new bruise on her arm. But, I can understand how clumsy she can be sometimes. I am sending one of my men to watch out for her and ensure she comes home the same way she left. You do not want to know the consequences of any new… accidents." And with that, Granger hung up the phone.

Luis called his man over and whispered in his ear.

"What's the address so I can send my man." Trey rattled of the address. Callen gave everyone a heads up, and an hour later, Deeks was on his way.

* * *

As soon as the car pulled up to the safe house, Deeks checked the gun at his back. He was wearing a suit and put a hard expression on his face. Sam had opened the door, heard the introduction and promptly closed it in the guy's face.

Five minutes later, Deeks walked out, ready to be next to his partner.

The car ride back was silent. Deeks had asked the guy questions, trying to make conversation to get more info, but he wasn't talking.

As they pulled up, Deeks narrowed his eyes. No one was going to lay a finger on her now that he was here.

As they stepped inside, his eyes swept over her, making sure she was okay. She gave a small nod, letting him know everything was alright. He walked up to her and took his stance, eyes hard as he looked at Luis. Trey may be her partner in this operation, but Deeks had her back.

The rest of the day, Kensi and Trey made deals with Luis and his goons. A meeting was set up for the next day to get the drugs handed over to be sent off. Luis wanted it to be late afternoon, but Trey had argued that early morning, before the sun rose, would be best. It was still dark and by the time the deal was over, it would just be getting light. If there were any questions, they could say they were going to work and no one would think twice about it. Luis reluctantly agreed and it was decided everyone would meet at 4am. As they were leaving, he walked up to Kensi, his mouth dangerously close to her ear.

"You won't always be surrounded by people. I am eagerly anticipating the day I get you alone." His fingers traced the marks on her arm.

"It would be in your best interest to get away from her." Deeks stepped between them, his voice dripping with malice, his eyes hard. "I wouldn't want to have to report anything back to her father, now would I?" His half grin didn't reach his eyes.

With that, they all walked out the door.

* * *

2:00am came all too soon for everyone. They needed time to coordinate everything and get everyone in position. As soon as the shipment arrived, LAPD and NCIS would move in. Deeks would be next to Kensi and Trey. Trey had his weapon on him, but Kensi's outfit in this assignment didn't afford her the luxury of carrying her regular weapon, just her knife. Deeks and Trey would both be would be carrying an extra gun for her.

The car ride over was tense, each lost in their own thoughts, tired and ready for this to be over. As they pulled up, Deeks tapped Kensi on the shoulder, using their own form of Morse code. Kensi felt one tap, then four taps, then three. _143_. She put her hand on his, linking their fingers and placing a quick kiss to the inside of his wrist.

As they walked up, ready to get this started, Trey and Kensi linked hands once again, keeping up appearances of being together. Deeks was just the associate, there to make sure his bosses daughter came back as she had left. But that didn't stop the slight narrowing of his eyes for half a second when he saw him reach for her hand. He was quick to school his features, knowing that wouldn't fly today.

Luis and his gang pulled up right behind them, anxious as well to get this going. He was a night person, used to not getting to bed until this time or later. But having business deals at this hour was not something he preferred. He had a sour taste in his mouth, but he wasn't sure why.

"Good morning ladies and gentleman. Are we ready to get this going, so everyone can go home happy?" Luis was trying to be civil, but mentally he was calculating how to get Tracey away from the group. There was something about her that pulled him to her—like a moth to a flame. He didn't know why, but he had to have her, one way or another. He was hoping she would go with him willingly, but he wasn't above using force if he needed. He was certain he could handle Steven, but Blondie threw a wrench in things. He was a lot more protective of her than what seemed normal for him being just an associate. But Luis was confident, he was smart, he could get around this.

Luis had turned his back to make the call to bring the first shipment up, and Deeks whispered into her ear.

"Watch him. He's trying to figure out how to get you alone, and he's not going to care if you say no."

She nodded, letting him know she heard him. She sidled closer to Trey, toying with his hand and acting bored while Luis made his call. Deeks moved slightly so he would be able to intercept Luis if he tried anything.

Twenty minutes later, all hell broke loose. As soon as the shipment arrived, LAPD moved in, not bothering to wait for the go word. At that moment, Callen didn't know who gave the go-ahead, but when he found out, heads were going to roll.

The trio inside heard what was happening and tried to take action as best they could without being ready for it. Luis saw the change and knew something was wrong, grabbing his gun from behind his back. Deeks saw this and did the same thing, aiming it at his head. While he had Luis's attention, he maneuvered himself so he was blocking Kensi.

Trey pulled his gun out and handed the spare to Kensi, training the weapons on the other people in the room. LAPD had spooked them before everyone was in place, but this was what they were trained for, the unexpected.

"So, I was set up, huh? Well, I will hand it to you, it was well done. Too bad. I had big things planned for Tracey." He cocked his head to the side, eyebrows raised. "But then again, this may not have changed my plans at all."

"You won't touch her Luis." Deeks was watching him, ready to take him out if needed.

Suddenly, the first shot was taken and everybody scrambled for cover.

"Everybody good?" Callen's voice held professional concern, wanting to make sure his team was okay.

"Callen and I are moving in with SWAT, but this place is crazy, I don't know how long it will take up to get to you." Sam's voice immediately followed Callen's, letting them know back up was on the way.

After everyone checked in, time stood still as they all heard Kensi stifle a scream. Deeks hadn't been able to take cover near her, trying but failing to keep his eyes trained on Luis.

"Trey, tell me you see her man." Deeks was trying to keep the ever-creeping panic out of his voice.

"Negative, she went left when I went right earlier. She was behind a cabinet, but I don't see her now."

"Son of a bitch. I don't have eyes on Luis either. I'm going to kill him with my bare hands if he…" He didn't finish.

"Go Deeks, I've got your back." Trey popped up, drawing fire to him so Deeks could go get his girl back.

As Deeks wove his way around the warehouse, he heard some scuffling and what sounded like some very heated threats from his lady love.

What he saw when he opened the door made his blood run cold. Luis had her up against the wall, the gun under her chin while his free hand roamed over her face, down her neck and to her chest. He was concentrating so hard at the task at hand that he didn't hear the door open and quietly close. Deeks snuck up behind them as quickly as possible, thanking God that he and Kensi could use their eyes to talk. Deeks made a few nods to her, and she blinked her eyes once, letting him know that she was good with it.

Just as Luis felt another presence in the room, Deeks had his arm around his neck at the exact same time Kensi used both hands to push his arm that was holding the gun away from her. While Deeks was fighting Luis, Kensi was working on getting the gun out of his hand. Right before she got it, the door burst open and Deeks recognized the guy who had driven him to the warehouse yesterday standing there with two other guys behind him. The driver raised his hand to fire at Deeks when Trey came out of nowhere, knocking him down. As Trey was getting up, one of the others took a shot, hitting Trey in the shoulder. Trey went down the same time Luis did, and Deeks took his gun, shooting simultaneously with Kensi, each one taking down their target. Trey was now fighting with the guy he knocked over, and Kensi ran over, kicking the guy off Trey and aiming her gun at him.

"Please, please give me a reason to shoot you."

Callen's voice came over the comms.

"Well, good to hear your voice again Kens. Everything good over there?"

"Deeks and I are good, but Trey's going to need an ambulance. He was hit in the shoulder, looks like it went all the way through. Could you send LAPD to clean up this mess in here, seeing as they are the ones who gave the signal to go to early? I'm hungry."

Callen laughed. "They would have been there sooner, but this place is a maze. They should be there soon."

Deeks had quickly tied Luis up in case he woke up, and then checked on his friends. Two were confirmed dead and Kensi had the other cuffed. Deeks bent down, taking his shirt off to press against Trey's wound.

"You didn't have to do that Trey. But thank you." He looked at him, trying to convey just how thankful he was.

"Hey, I told you I had your back. Wouldn't do for you to get shot after that statement. But seriously, you didn't have to take your shirt off."

Kensi chuckled. "Oh, that was more for his benefit than yours. He thinks he looks good without it on and maybe there might be some cute EMT's coming." Deeks laughed, keeping the pressure on Trey's wound.

"Well, it was either my shirt or yours Fern. And I wasn't too keen on you wearing anything less than you are right now."

"Not gonna lie, I would have rather seen her without a shirt than you, Deeks. No offense."

"None taken, man. I don't blame you, but I think I'm gonna go ahead and take one for the team on this. Although now that I think about, someone owes me a new shirt."

"I think Trey saving your life was payment enough, don't you?" Kensi raised an eyebrow at him

"Touché."

Kensi opened her mouth to say it back to him, but he beat her to it.

"Kensi, Princess, light of my life. Do NOT say 'touché' back to me. Don't do it. Resist the temptation."

She glared at him and then stuck her tongue out. With the most mocking voice she could muster, she uttered "Touché."

All three were laughing when LAPD came around the corner to take away the bad guys and get Trey to the ambulance.

As the sun was coming up, Kensi was talking to Callen about what they had learned while Deeks was with Trey at the ambulance.

"So, you going to pass on the hospital huh?" Deeks asked him.

"Yeah, it was a clean shot, missed anything major. The paramedic stitched it up and gave me a sling to use for about a week."

"That's great Trey. And she's pretty cute. You should get her number." They both chuckled a little before Deeks got serious.

"Thank you. For watching her back, and mine. I can't thank you enough for that. If you hadn't been there, I don't think either one of us would have been able to take him out before he shot me. I owe you a hell of a lot more than a 'thank you,' so whenever you need something, just let me know. Doesn't matter what it is."

"Look, you and I both know that she can't take another partner. I was there temporarily when you were still LAPD, and I know how she gets when she's worried about you. She doesn't need to go through that again. And I'm not going to lie, if she isn't happy, she makes your life a living hell. Saving you wasn't just for your sanity, it was for mine, too." Both men laughed at that, each knowing the full truth to that statement. They shook hands and said something about getting together soon for drinks.

As the scene started to clear, Deeks pulled Kensi aside.

"I got the okay from Callen. We can head out."

"But, what about…"

"Nope, we are leaving. I know for a fact that there are several breakfast burritos with our names on them waiting for us. Let's go get some food, get some coffee, and see what else we can come up with."

She ran her finger up and down his arm.

"You know, I do have three weapons on me right now. Wanna find them?" She wiggled her eyebrows at him suggestively.

"Yes, yes I do. Okay, wow. Yeah, we gotta leave. Right now." He grabbed her hand and hauled her to the car, her laughter following them.

Trey looked over at the sound and watched as Deeks opened her car door for her before running around to the driver side. He smiled, glad they had each other to go home to at the end of the day. He hadn't said anything to the others, but a certain paramedic who had impeccable stitching skills had slipped him her number. Things were definitely looking up for everyone.

* * *

_AN - Reviews make me happy and I would love to hear what you thought about it. _ :)


	18. Chapter 18

_You all may get tired of it, but I never will: thank you to Kenzalina (bookdiva) who is kind enough to read over the chapters for me! She is absolutely amazing! _

_Disclaimer: not mine._

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Waking up that morning with a mission, Kensi looked over at her sleeping companion and smiled, noticing his nose was twitching. _It does that when I'm happy. _She looked at the clock and saw it was barely after 6:00am. She stretched lazily, knowing today was the day she would close one chapter of her life and get started on the next. She knew she had been putting this off, the final pack up and move out of her apartment. She couldn't figure out why exactly, maybe because it was something of hers that no one could take away. A place she could go if something happened to her and Deeks. But she had realized she couldn't live her life with one foot out the door. She wanted to commit – fully - to him, and she would start with this.

She watched him sleep for a few more minutes before getting up and dressing quietly. Before she walked out, she left him a little note on the customary pale blue paper.

_Good morning lazy ass. When you finally decide to get up, meet me at my place with coffee and doughnuts. Come without them and there will be hell to pay. Smile Sunshine! - Bad Ass Blye_

Pleased with her note, she left, intent on getting this done as soon as possible.

After pulling up to her apartment, she started hauling in all the boxes she and Deeks had gotten a few weeks before. She started on the living room, putting the rest of her books and keepsakes into one box and the rest into the donate box or the trash. _Wow, I really do have a lot of stuff. _She laughed to herself, knowing that if she told Deeks that he would never let her live it down.

Getting most of the living room done, she turned on the radio and danced her way to the kitchen, determined to get as much done as possible before he got there. Her mom was going to come over after lunch and help pack things over to her new place. She pulled out all of her pots and pans and wondered what she should take with her. Deeks was the one who cooked so she would have to ask him if he needed any of this. She quickly packed up her baking goods and utensils, dish towels, pot holders and the food in her pantry.

She looked around and was pleasantly surprised**. **The kitchen was now pretty much completed. Satisfied with the progress she was making, her next challenge presented itself. She walked into her room and realized most of her stuff from the bathroom and bedroom were already at his place. She closed the door and headed into her spare room, shaking her head. _No wonder I get so much crap about hoarding._ Looking at the amount of just, well, crap in here, she knew she was going to have her work cut out for her.

She set up boxes in the hallway, much like she had in the living room, determination shining in her eyes to get rid of at least half of what was in there. But looking at it now, it was daunting. There were more boxes and bags and random piles of nothing than she knew what to do with. Letting out a heavy sigh, she got down to it.

An hour later, she had made a huge dent in the room. Most of the stuff she was either donating or in the trash, and she was feeling better, lighter. She opened the closet door, forgetting what was in there. Her eyes quickly scanned the contents and came to rest on the box on the shelf, the words JACK written on it. She stood there a minute, taking deep breaths.

_I should just throw this whole damn box away. There's nothing in there worth keeping. _But even as she thought it, her hands were reaching up and pulling it down.

As soon as she opened it, her mind was flooded with memories. How they met, their first date, the proposal, his deployment, PTSD, his leaving on Christmas morning. It was like her memory was playing a reel from a movie, giving her a glimpse into what was.

She picked up a picture she had of the two of them shortly after becoming engaged. She saw how happy they were, ready to take on the world together. Putting it to the side, she pulled out some knick knacks she had saved and ran her fingers over them gingerly. Shaking slightly, she remembered when Jack's mom had given these to him, telling him how they had been passed down from generation to generation. His mom had had cancer, and his eyes had grown misty, knowing the end wasn't long.

Pulling out the three books she had saved for him, she started leafing through the pages when something fell out. Frowning, eyebrows furrowed, she opened the paper.

_Sweet Kensi,_

_I don't know if or when you will find this, but I hope it finds you well. I hope you are happy, because that's all I ever wanted for you. I'm sitting here, watching you sleep, listening to the little snore thing that is uniquely you. And I almost feel normal again. Almost. But I know that will never happen, I will never really be me again. And there is no way I am bringing you down with me. This decision I am making, I am making with a clear head. It's something I have thought a lot about since I've come home, but was never able to actually do. Walking away from you, Kensi, will be the single hardest thing I will ever have to do. Trying to conquer my sickness is a close second._

_I need you to know what you have done everything in your power to help me. You did _not_ fail me, Kens. The things that happened over there, what I had to see, it's not something that will ever leave me. I don't think I will ever get past it. Believe me, I've tried. You have gone above and beyond in your unwavering support, and I will be forever grateful. And I thought I was making good headway - that we were going to get past this. _

_I was out shopping for your Christmas present today. I know I know, I always wait until the last minute. You know how Christmas Eve is, all the last minute shoppers, the craziness. Maybe it wasn't the best idea, but really, I've been doing so good lately that I thought I could do this on my own. _

_The store I was in had all these little kids running around. One of them bumped into me, causing me to trip. Another man standing next to me grabbed my arm to keep me from falling, but the moment his hand touched me, I was pushed into another time, another place. Not realizing what I was doing, I had him turned and was choking him. I could hear screaming but in my mind, I was in a village, not a shopping mall. The man was gasping for air and I heard a little girl start crying. I don't know what brought me back, but suddenly I looked around and saw what was happening. I let him go and dropped to me knees, completely ashamed of my actions. I apologized profusely, but Kensi, I could have killed him. What if I hadn't snapped out of it? How far would I have gone?_

_And what if that happened to you, Kens. What if something so minor as your touch causes me to lose sight of me and go back there? Or we have kids one day and I snap? I can't do that. I can't take that risk. Because you are everything to me. The thought of hurting you or our kids makes me sick to my stomach. _

_I know if I tried to tell you this face to face, I wouldn't be able to walk away. I would stay, believing your words that we would make it through this, watching the light in your eyes grow dimmer each day, until the day it was gone. No baby, I can't – won't – do that to you anymore. I won't ever forgive myself for this, or what happened today at the store, but there is no way I can stay and put you in danger. In a moment of goodness, of selflessness, I am leaving. _

_I hope you're happy. I hope that you moved on from me, from this. I hope more than anything that what I'm doing doesn't scar you for life. I know what you've been through, and you are the strongest person I know, but also very wary of letting people close._

_So smile Kensi. Enjoy life. Know that you did EVERYTHING you could to help me, that this is NOT your fault. Find a man, a good man, and fall in love again. That's what I want for you, more than anything, to be able to live the life I tried and failed to give you. I want to think about you being happy, laughing and eyes sparkling. I love you baby. Go and find your happiness._

_Jack_

She couldn't tear her eyes away. He had choked a man at the store? Her heart broke again, thinking to the lost look in his eyes when he had come home that night. She knew that something had happened while he was out, but she had no idea it was that. She pulled her knees up to her, clutching the letter and cried, letting out the years of heartache she had been holding onto. She didn't move from her position when she was done, instead reading the letter again.

His leaving had broken her completely, and it had taken her years to find her way back. But now, reading his words, she could see the truth in what he had written. She wasn't the same person when he came home, and while the hurt that his leaving had caused her, she could now understand the why. It was the one part of the puzzle she had never been able to figure out. And now the puzzle was complete.

* * *

Kensi was in the spare bedroom when he got there. He looked around as he walked in, noting the packed boxes in the living room and kitchen. _Well, at least she's started_. He put the requested coffee and doughnuts on the table and realized the only thing he could hear was the radio she had turned on.

"Hey babe, I'm here." He expected her to call out to him, at the very least grunting an acknowledgment, but he received nothing. Deciding to see what was going on, he walked back to the spare room and looked in. And what he saw was nothing that he could have prepared himself for.

Sitting in the middle of the floor, with a box in front her, was his beautiful girlfriend. However, instead of the slightly flustered packrat he had been expecting, she had her knees drawn up, arms folded over the top of them with her head resting on her arms. He cleared his throat, letting her know he was there. He walked over and noticed she was holding a piece of paper in her hand.

Instead of asking what was wrong, he just sat behind her, putting his legs on either side of her, and started rubbing her back. He drew circles with his fingers down her spine, tried massaging the tension out of her shoulders and ended with playing with her hair. He could hear a sniffle every now and then, and he knew she was trying to pull herself together before talking to him.

"I found some boxes in here."

Deeks really wanted to resort to humor right now, but he knew it probably wouldn't be received well. So he just sat there, running his fingers through her hair while he waited for her to continue.

"When Jack left, I packed up a few of his favorite things, just in case he came back. I had uh, forgotten about it. Everything I kept fit into one box." She gestured to the open one in front of her. "It wasn't much, a few books, some knick knacks from his parents. But I remembered how much that stuff meant to him, and I didn't want him to lose it when he came home. At that time, I was convinced that he hadn't left me for good, it was just temporary. He would figure out that I was what he wanted – _needed_ - and he would come home."

As much as Deeks hated talking about Jack, he knew this was something she needed to get off her chest. It wasn't that he was insecure about the subject – he knew that she was in love with _him_ now – but the pain that Jack had bestowed on her and knowing he was a big part of the reason she was so closed off sometimes, well, that's what hurt him. This was a burden she carried alone, not letting him help shoulder it. She had once – in a moment of weakness she called it – told him that she would never fully forgive herself for his leaving. She would always wonder if she could have tried harder. No amount of protests on Deeks part would sway her, and from then on the subject of Jack was carefully avoided.

"I waited in that apartment for six months. This wasn't the first time he had taken off, but he was always back within twenty four hours. After six months, I knew he wasn't coming home. The first week I called his family and friends, all the hospitals within a fifty mile radius, the police. For months afterwards, I did check in's with the local homeless shelters and the VA. Exactly six months later, without hearing a whisper as to where he was, I buried my emotions and decided it was time to move on. I packed up the apartment, found my place now, and moved in. I put the box of Jack's things in the back of the spare bedroom closet and forgotten about."

She leaned back against him, relishing in the feel of his arms wrapping around her. She felt him place a kiss on her head and lean his cheek against her hair.

"So here I was this morning, going through the stuff in here and low and behold, the damn thing was like opening a Pandora's Box of emotions. Everything I had tried to push down and to the back of my mind came back up with a vengeance. As much as I wanted to just throw the box away without opening it, I'm now thankful I did."

"Did you find something?" He was nervous asking it, wondering why she was now glad she'd opened it.

Kensi, for her part, stayed silent for a minute.

"Yeah. I found closure." She turned herself around and straddled his lap. Deeks put his hands on her back, using his fingers to inch her shirt up and began stroking her skin with his thumbs.

She stared at him for a minute, not seeing anything but love and admiration for her. She smiled at him, kissing him deeply, letting her love shine through. He responded in kind, telling her without words that he would be by her side forever.

"Before anything else, if you didn't bring coffee and doughnuts, you need to leave right now and rectify that mistake." Eyebrows raised, she tried to sound stern, but it ended up coming out with a pout.

He laughed at her, wondering at the transformation but happy for it nonetheless.

"Would I risk bodily harm Kensalina? You should know me better than that. I'll give you a hint to its placement – it's on one of the first things we christened here." He smirked at her, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Damn it Deeks. You couldn't just say it was on the table, could you? Had to go and bring that dirty mind of yours into the mix." She tried, really, but the laugh couldn't be stopped.

"My mind is one of the many things you love about me."

"Especially when it's dirty." She kissed him again and jumped up, desperately needing the coffee and sugar fix now.

"I knew it!" He got up and followed her out of the room. As she picked up the coffee, a very satisfied sigh left her.

"So you wanna..."

"No Deeks, I don't think the table needs a repeat performance."

"Whoa there dirty girl. I was going to say start sorting this stuff, but hey, I'm all for some extracurricular activities. I don't think the table would mind at all. And I remember just how well it worked for us last time." He cocked his head to the side, wondering just how far he could push her.

She slowly walked up to him, letting her finger trail down his chest. Well, he wasn't expecting this. He put his hands on her hips, not moving, letting her do what she wanted. She made it down to his belt, letting her fingers play with the buckle, never breaking eye contact.

"Maybe the table isn't such a bad idea after all," she purred, watching his eyes get darker. He was just about to respond when there was a knock on the door.

They jumped apart, both blushing and thanking God that things hadn't gone any further. Kensi was the first to pull it together and opened the door.

"Hey sweetheart**,"** her mom greeted her**.** "I finished up at the house sooner than I thought, so I decided to come on over and see what else I could help with." She smiled and then noticed the almost guilty looks on their faces."Did I… interrupt something?"

"No, nope, sure didn't. I'm just gonna go, you know, pack something." Deeks couldn't help it. He knew he sounded like an idiot, clearly giving away that she had indeed interrupted something, but hewas completely unable to stop himself.

"Really Deeks? Sometimes I wonder why I put up with you." She smiled, taking the sting out of her words.

"Probably has something to do with my charm, these handsome good looks, the unwavering sense of satisfaction you get when you finally manage to win our war of words – which doesn't happen very often, by the way – the idea that one day, we could pass on our awesome genes to a very lucky litter of mutant ninja assassins."

"Fighting for the side of justice, of course." She couldn't resist.

"Of course. Would you like me to keep going on with the list, or was that reminder enough."

"You forgot one important thing.**" **

"What's that?"

"I love you."

"Touché."

"Touché."

"Kensi, my sweet, you can NOT say touché there. That's not how it works." His voice carried exasperation.

"I think I just did."

"Good Lord. I still have so much to teach you."

Julie just stood there, watching them, amusement playing on her features. She shook her head, laughing.

"Well, I can see one thing's for certain. Neither of you will ever be bored."

"Especially when you live with the jungle cat." These words caused Kensi to spew coffee out of her nose, laughter ringing out.

"I'm not sure I want to know." Julia just watched the two of them, fascinated with the chemistry between them and the way they acted with each other.

"No mom, I don't think you do. Come on, the faster we get this stuff done, the quicker we can get it moved."

"Honey, I don't want to sound rude, but where did all this… stuff come from?"

"See Fern, I told you it was like an episode of Hoarder's in here."

"You wanna sleep on the couch? Because you keep going with this and that's where you'll be tonight." Deeks laughed and put his hands up in surrender.

Kensi pointed out that piles to donate and the ones that she was taking with her. Deeks wasn't going to actually say this to her, but he was impressed with how much she had been able to part with. He had expected a lot more argument and convincing on their part, with Kensi digging her heels in the whole time.

Between the three of them, they sorted the rest of the stuff in the kitchen, Deeks putting a lot of the pots and pans in the donate pile, selecting only a few to keep.

They made it through the rest of the spare bedroom and her bedroom. Kensi donated the books but kept the knick knacks. By 3:00pm, it was done. They loaded the three vehicles with everything Kensi was keeping**, **and they would call the local thrift stores to come by and pick up the rest. Kensi planned on handing in the keys to her landlord in about a week, giving them enough time to get it cleaned after everything was out.

"So, how does it feel?"

Kensi turned towards her mom, who was pulling a box out her car to carry into _their_ place.

"What?"

"This. Finally moving in with Marty."

"It feels… right." Julia noticed the wistful smile on her daughter's face.

"Then don't ever let it go."

Deeks pulled up and parked.

"I know that look Sugarbear. You're talking about me again, aren't you? I'm irresistible, I know. Don't let her tell you otherwise Julia. If she does, she's lying." He started pulling out boxes too, following the ladies up to the apartment.

He started laughing when he heard Kensi whisper mainly to herself "I swear to God, I'm going to end up killing him."

As soon as they dropped the boxes, he pulled her into his arms and whispered back to her, "No you won't, because you know just how much I love you. And someone has to help you control your impulse buying and junk food habits."

"See Deeks, you started off so well, and then ruined it." She wrapped her arms around his waist, kissing the side of his neck.

"I don't ruin anything. I make it better."

"Not in this case."

"Hey you two, you going to make the mother bring everything in?" Julia called from outside.

"Sorry mom! Come on Deeks, you gotta earn your place in our bed tonight." She ran away from him, laughing. His resounding laugher followed her down the stairs, wrapping around her and making her feel more loved than any other time in her life.

* * *

That night, after all the boxes were carried up and the three of them had polished off pizza, the two love birds sat on the couch, feet up, nursing beers and watching Titanic on TV. Deeks had been wondering something all day, and he couldn't help but ask her.

"Hey Kens. What exactly brought you closure today? I mean, if you don't want to tell me, I get it. I just…" He stopped talking when she put her finger to his lips.

"No, it's okay. It's just not something I can actually tell you." He tried to keep a neutral face, but the hurt he felt at her statement hit him hard.

"Yeah, no, I get it."

"No Deeks, you don't get it. I can't _tell_ you. But I can show you." He tilted his head to the side, wondering if it had to do with the paper she was holding earlier.

Kensi reached into her back pocket, pulling out the letter and handing it to him. She turned to TV off and watched as his eyes took in the words. She could tell where he was with it when his eye brows shot up, and he glanced at her, disbelief in his eyes. She just nodded, silently telling him to continue. He kept reading, and let out a heavy sigh when he was done.

"Wow Kens, I don't… I don't really know what to say right now." He held her gaze, grabbing her hand and squeezing.

"I don't really think there is anything to say. Like I told you earlier, it brought closure. Questions were answered, and I can now put it behind me fully. You are my now andmy future, Deeks. That's what I want to focus on. Not what could have been, or what if's, but what will be." She saw his face break out into a smile and leaned forward, taking his face into her hands and kissing him.

He stood up and bent down, scooping her into his arms. She giggled, putting her arm around his neck.

"Well then, come on Bad Ass Blye, show me what the future holds."

* * *

_AN - well, you know the drill by now. I would LOVE to hear what you thought of it._


	19. Chapter 19

_Well, here's yet another chapter. Bookdiva assured me it didn't suck, so here you go! And Kenzalina - thanks for looking it over for me. YOU, my friend, are absolutely amazing!_

_Bold words within is chatter over comms._

* * *

Kensi sat by his bed, listening to the monitor drone out the steady _Beep Beep Beep_, letting her know that he was still alive. She held his hand, stroking her thumb back and forth over his and laid her head down on the side of the bed, thinking back to where it all went wrong.

24 HOURS AGO

"God I hate paperwork. Seriously, is there anything worse?" Deeks threw his pencil down on the desk in surrender.

"Not really. Well wait, I take it back. Getting shot is worse." Callen was just as bored as Deeks, but he managed to hide it much better.

"Okay, I'll give you that. But c'mon, this is ridiculous."

At those words, a shrewd whistled was blown, beckoning the team up to OPS. Deeks jumped up, glad that they were able to go save the world and get away from the mind numbing paperwork. He had no idea that paperwork would have been a welcome reprieve to what the Fate's had in store for him.

As they walked in, Deeks making a joke causing his girlfriend to glare at him, he turned and noticed the serious faces of Nell and Eric. Usually they offered up smiles as the gang came in, but today their expressions were somber. Deeks immediately sobered, suddenly getting a sick feeling in his stomach.

"This is David Hernandez. He was caught on video last night in an attempted murder of a Naval Commander. We know he is a low level drug runner, trying to make it up the chain. What we don't know is why he targeted the Commander."

"So I'm guessing we need to find him." Kensi wasn't feeling very good about this.

"Correct you are Kensi. Hernandez is in the wind, we haven't heard a whisper as to where he is or where he might have gone. However, from local intel we know that he has an older brother, Daniel, who frequents Joe's Place and David is very close to his brother."

Deeks eyes flashed in recognition. He knew exactly where this was headed.

"And we need Max Gentry to go in and see what kind of info I can get, either from the locals or the brother himself. Crack a few heads if needed. Got it." Deeks put his head down. Now he knew why he was feeling sick.

NCIS was calling back the infamous Max Gentry, and there wasn't a person in attendance who was happy about it. Kensi had inched her way closer to Deeks until her shoulder touched his. Tension was radiating off of him**, **and she couldn't blame him. This was the one alias he hated more than anything, an alter ego he always felt was just a little too easy to slip into. But he had one thing now he didn't before – her. And she would do whatever she had to do to make sure he didn't forget that.

* * *

She watched as her boyfriend slipped on the brown leather jacket. Try as she might, she couldn't stop herself from walking up to him and slipping her arms into the jacket and around his waist. He immediately responded, wrapping his arms around her tightly, not wanting to let go. He let the scent of her wash over him, letting it imprint itself on him.

"You aren't him Deeks. I know you hate Max because you think it would be so easy to be him, but you're wrong. It's easy to be you. Marty Deeks. Ex LAPD Detective, NCIS Special Agent, boyfriend to one kick ass girlfriend, the most compassionate man I have ever met. You have so much love and goodness in you that sometimes I wonder how I got so lucky to be on the receiving end of it. And when you think that you are slipping into Max too much, when you worry if you are going to be able to make your way back, I'll be here waiting. Waiting to show you exactly who you are, no matter what you think. When you come home, you'll come home as Marty Deeks, not Max Gentry. Because no matter what, I know who you are, and I will never let you forget that."

He just held onto her, letting her words sink in.

"If nothing else Kens, know that I love you with everything that I am. Your faith in me, well, it's nothing sort of spectacular. I will come home to you as Marty Deeks, because you are the one thing Max never had." They stood there like that for a few more minutes before he pulled away.

"Okay hotshot. What's the distress word?" She was trying to lighten the mood a little, to get her partner back to where he needed to be.

"What else could it be but Fern?" He smirked at her.

"Well, at least it will be easier for you to use than me. Speaking of, I think you need to water ours when you get home. It looked a little wilted this morning."

"I told you to move it away from the window. You're the one who first said it doesn't need direct sunlight. Why would put in in the window… to get sun? Seriously Kens, sometimes I wonder about you."

"Hey! You're the one who said a little sunshine never hurt anything."

"I didn't mean actual things – like our fern – that doesn't need direct sunlight. Just for that, you can forget the $32.50 you said I owe you." Kensi scoffed at him.

"You already paid up. No refunds. Sorry babe." The twinkle was back in his eyes, and she knew that no matter what, they would be okay. Slapping his ass, she laughed and winked at him.

"Now, come on, let's get this over with. I'll even buy you dinner later."

"What the hell is this? Wait, I know, this is guilt over the fern isn't it? I think you need to make it up to the plant, not me." She raised her eyebrows at him. "Okay, no, see, I'm going to… you know. I'm done. Don't worry, I'm not letting anything happen to the fern on my watch. But I'm definitely cashing in on the dinner thing later. I'll even supply desert."

"That's more like it," she called over her shoulder, making Deeks jog to catch up with her. This was going to be a long day for both of them, and it was only 10am.

* * *

Deeks walked into the all too familiar beer joint, scanning the occupants as he made his way to the bar. Taking a seat the owner/bartender, Joe, poured his usual as everyone got quiet.

There was a reason Max Gentry stood out in their minds – if he didn't like you, you didn't stay; simple as that. He wasn't afraid to cause a scene and kick your ass, and his reputation - even after all this time - was legendary. And that's what the team was bargaining on.

"Uh, hey Max. You gonna need anything else?" Joe was used to Max, but that didn't mean he liked having him in there.

"If I do, I know where it is." He pulled his phone out. "You seen this guy? His brother owes me money, and you know I don't like waiting to collect."

"He comes in everyday about this time. Please Max, try not to break anything this time."

"I think you're seeing things Joe. I'm not the one who breaks things, isn't that right." He let his lips draw up in a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Draining the glass, he set it on the counter and turned, looking around. Deeks watched as a heavy set guy walked up and stopped in front of him.

"Hey Joe. Go ahead and pour me another glass." Joe sighed, knowing this meant something was about to go down. Anytime Max showed up and ended up laying someone out, he always wanted another drink afterwards.

"I think you're in my seat."

"What's your name? Bill? You look like a Bill."

"Don't worry about my name. I said you're in my seat." Bill tried standing taller, obviously failing to intimidate him.

"No Bill, this is my seat. If I were you, I'd go find another one, preferably in another part of town." Instead of backing down, Bill took another step towards Deeks and opened his mouth to speak. Before any words came out, Deeks had his right hand pulled back and swung, hitting him in the face, knocking him out before he hit the floor. Shaking his head, Deeks sat back down and turned, downing the second glass of whiskey, leaving his friends to get him up and out of the bar.

"Nothing like a drink after things like that. Too bad Bill didn't listen to my advice." It took every ounce of his training to keep a straight face when he heard Kensi in his ear.

**"Yeah, too bad. I'm gonna be the one icing that hand tonight. And if I hear any whining at all Mr. Tough Guy, guess who's sleeping with Monty. You." **

Just as she finished she spotted Hernandez walking around the corner.

**"Game time Deeks." ** For his part, he just sat there, knowing he couldn't give anything away. He listened as the door opened and Joe glanced up before clearing his throat.

"He's here." Joe finished washing the dishes and moved to other end of the bar, not wanting to have any part of this. Daniel Hernandez took the stool three down from Deeks and Joe already had the bottle of Budweiser opened and ready for him.

As soon as Daniel took the first swig and put the bottle back down, Deeks looked over at him.

"Hey. I know you." Daniel looked over at him when he realized Deeks was talking to him.

"No, I don't think you do." He took another pull from the bottle, noticing the stranger was still staring at him.

"Yeah, you're David's brother. Know where I can find him?"

"What do you want with him?" No more were the words out his mouth than David walked through the door.

As he was about to get things going, Kensi's voice filtered through again, but this time there was nothing to smile about.

**"Deeks, heads up. Trouble comin' your way in the form of Nicole Martindale." ** Kensi's voice held a touch of panic, knowing that this woman was once in love with Max Gentry, and that love turned to hate when she found out that Max wasn't real. Deeks hadn't given her a name, only that he was a cop. And that's what made Kensi nervous. Nicole knew that the person she was about to see wasn't Max.

**"Deeks, get out of there before she sees you." **

"I'm good," he muttered, determined to finish this before he left. Once he heard Kensi say Nicole's name, his heart started hammering in his chest. Deeks was counting on Nicole to remember the good times they had had together and keep his secret, but after what she had done to Ray, he knew she was a loose cannon.

**"Deeks…"**

"I'm good." His answer was short, sounding more like Max than Deeks.

As soon as Nicole walked in the door Deeks watched her. This was either going to go down without a hitch and she would play along, or she would get him killed. His bets were on the latter. After the last time they had spoken and he had told her he was a cop, she had been furious. And if she was willing to have her husband killed – who she didn't love – what was she going to do to the man she did love and had betrayed her. Yeah, the odds weren't exactly with him right now.

Nicole glanced around the bar, taking in who was there. She audibly gasped when eyes landed on Deeks.

"Hey Nicole, look what the car dragged in. Good ole Max," Joe said, noticing the tension.

"Well well well, Max Gentry." Her eyes narrowed dangerously and he could see the wheels turning. Deeks, for his part, didn't bat an eye – his face giving away nothing – waiting to see how this would play out.

In a split second, he calculated who was carrying and where they were in conjuncture to his position. He could dive behind a pool table if need be, but it wouldn't provide cover for long. _Eh, better than nothing._

All of a sudden, he could hear Sam in his ear.

**"Deeks, we're right outside ready to move. If you need us now, grunt." ** Sam's voice remained steady, calming Deeks who had remained silent. Sam gave him a good ten seconds.

**"Okay got it. You need us, say the word. Get out ASAP man. Your life isn't worth this."**

The entire time Sam had been talking, Deeks had watched Nicole, who hadn't taken her eyes off of him. He saw the calculated look in her eye and knew it was now or never.

"Nicole. Long time no see." His eyes took on a dangerous glint as he cocked his head to the side.

"Yeah it has. Where have you been?" He could hear Kensi in his ear say 'not with you'. He would have smiled at her possessive streak if this wasn't life or death now.

"Here and there." He took her challenge and threw it back at her, waiting to see what she was going to do. She walked up to him, running her hand down his arm. At one time, he would have enjoyed this, but now he knew exactly what she wanted, and that was to see him squirm.

"Huh. Well, what brings you back here Max?" She looked up at him, daring him.

"Debts needed to be paid. I'm here to collect." He took the hand that had moved from his arm to his chest and removed it none to gently.

"Aww Max, don't be like that. Don't forget, I know your secrets. I think you owe me for that."

"Nicole…" His voice held a warning. Suddenly Callen was in his ear, letting him know the plan.

**"Sam and I are out front Deeks. Kensi's headed around back. This goes south, duck and we will be there in a second."**

**"I call dibbs on Nicole." ** _That's my girl_, he thought to himself. Bringing himself back to the present, he saw the almost regret in her eyes, but for what he still wasn't sure.

"So many secrets Max. But you know what my favorite one is?" Before he could say 'Fern' she yelled out. "You're a dirty ass cop!"

As soon as Nicole said the words "dirty ass cop" all hell broke loose. Deeks took cover behind a pool table, pulling his Berretta from the back of his pants. He heard the door open and assumed Sam and Callen were coming in, knowing Kensi would come in from the back. He popped back up, taking a shot at Daniel and hitting him in the arm and then aiming for his brother David, the bullet hitting his leg. If nothing else came of this, at least they had their suspects. Glancing around, he saw Kensi's ponytail and out of the corner of his eye.

"You know Kens, I'm not sure if anyone's ever told you this, but that tactical gear really works for you." He was breathing a little heavy, adrenaline pumping through him.

"Shut up Deeks. Where's Nicole?"

"Why? Is there going to be a cat fight?" Deeks popped around the corner, seeing some of the other patrons had donned their weapons as well, causing Deeks to sigh. Not seeing Nicole anywhere, he scanned the area behind him when he saw her. He heard Callen say he had Daniel and David in cuffs and Sam was currently yelling at everyone to put their weapons down.

"Got her." Deeks got up and started trying to make his way over to her, knowing that her life was safer with him than Kensi right now. As soon as he made the corner to the other pool table, he stopped, staring down the barrel of a gun, held by the one and only Nicole.

"Going to shoot me Nicole?" Kensi stopped dead in her tracks hearing those words. Sam had been effective in getting everyone to lower their weapons and was currently checking the place to make sure there were no other surprises. Kensi stayed down, hoping she could make her way behind them and disarm Nicole before she pulled the trigger.

"Deeks, as much as I may hate saying this, keep talking. Get me some time to get behind her and disarm her." Deeks kept his eye contact with Nicole, trying to ignore just how steady she was holding the gun.

"So Nicole. What have you been up to?" He had no idea how much time he needed to buy or if it would even work, because the look in her eyes right now was chilling. She _wanted_ to do this.

"You know Max, ever since you told me you were a cop, I told myself that if the opportunity ever presented itself, I was going to kill you. You caused a lot of people so much pain Max. Pain that never needed to be there. You hurt me!" She screamed the final sentence at him.

"I know Nicole, and I'm -"

"Don't. Don't say you're sorry. Because really, it doesn't matter. All you do when you come into people's lives is hurt them. Well, I'm not going to let you hurt anyone else ever again Max." He could see Kensi coming up, but before she could reach her Nicole pulled the trigger, hitting him in the chest. Deeks just stood there with his mouth open, putting his hand on his chest before falling to the ground gasping.

Kensi stopped moving as soon as the shot rang out. She watched as Deeks put his right hand to his chest, mouth agape, and then fall. Nicole turned, ready to make a run for it, but hadn't anticipated Kensi standing about 8 feet behind her.

As soon as Nicole turned, Kensi snapped out of it.

"Sam, Deeks is down. Get over here. NOW!" As much as she wanted to go to her partner, she had something she had to take care of first.

Gun raised, pointed at Nicole's head, she said in a deadly calm voice.

"Where you goin' Nicole?" Nicole's eyes went wide, recognition shining bright.

"You the new girlfriend? Well, at least he won't hurt you now." Nicole knew she wasn't getting out of this one. "You may not understand it now, but he brings nothing but pain to people. As much as I love him, I'm not sorry for that." She tilted her head back towards where Sam and Deeks currently were. Kensi could hear Sam yelling at Eric to get the ambulance here NOW, but her focus was on Nicole.

"Drop the gun Nicole and put your hands behind your head." Kensi watched as Nicole thought about her options. She slowly put the gun down before putting her hands behind her head.

Kensi started walking up to her, lowering her weapon when she got close enough so she could put the cuffs on her. As soon as the gun was down, Nicole lashed out, trying to throw Kensi off. Kensi put her hands up, effectively blocking her and grabbed her arm, twisting Nicole around and crying out as Kensi dislocated her shoulder. Nicole fell to her knees, not yet ready to give up and tried kicking Kensi's leg on the way down. Kensi's answer to that was a simple move she had picked up from Max. She dropped Nicole's hand and got in front of her before Nicole knew what was happening and punched her as hard as she could in the face. And much like Bill had earlier, Nicole fell the rest of the way to the floor, out like a light before she the ground.

Not taking any chances, Kensi put the ties onto Nicole's wrists and left her laying there, running over to Deeks. Sam's hands were covering the bullet hole, unsuccessful in stopping the bleeding. She pulled his head into her lap as she stared at him. His eyes were glazed over, but he was still conscious.

"Deeks, can you hear me? It's going to be okay. Help is coming."

"I'm sorry Kens."

"NO! There is nothing to be sorry about. You promised Deeks. God damnit, you are _not_ dying today, do you understand me?" She was brushing his hair back with a shaking hand. She noticed his eyes were starting to close.

"Babe, look at me. Don't close your eyes, okay? Listen to my voice, it's going to be okay. Deeks! No Deeks, keep your eyes open!" Her voice was getting steadily louder as his eyes closed. She couldn't stop the rush of panic that hit her.

"I love you, Kensi. Always have, always will." He used every ounce of strength left to whisper that to her before darkness overtook him.

* * *

After they arrived at the hospital, everyone was ushered into the waiting room. Kensi had been named as Deeks's next of kin, and the nurses told her that he was currently in surgery for a GSW to the chest. She completed the paperwork they handed her, grateful that at least she could do something.

Eric, Nell and Hetty arrived shortly after, each remembering the last time they were here for Kensi. Sam had grabbed his go bag from the car and had changed, knowing no one needed to see just how much blood was lost. Callen hadn't left Kensi's side. LAPD was instructed to take the two brother's and to the precinct and someone would be by later to pick them up. Nicole had been taken to another hospital by police escort, with the same instructions for her as the other two.

For three hours they sat there, each offering their own silent pleas to whoever was listening upstairs**, **that Deeks make it through this. Kensi remained quiet, determined to not break down. She was strong, and was calling on that strength to bring her through this. Because if he didn't come out of this, if he…

"Family of Marty Deeks?" Kensi shot up out of her chair, nearly running to the doctor.

"Yes, that's us. How is he? Is he okay? Is he…" She couldn't say it.

"Yes Ms. Blye, he's alive. He made it through the surgery just fine. No complications. The bullet nipped his lung partially collapsing it, but we were able to remove the bullet and inflate his lung again. We will keep him in ICU for at least a day, to make sure there's no complications and then he can be moved to a regular room. Only one person will be allowed in the room at a time right now." He looked around the room, and all eyes were on Kensi.

She turned to Hetty, the question in her eyes.

"Go my dear. That's where you need to be. We'll take care of the Hernandez brothers and Mrs. Martindale. Keep us updated on his condition."

"Thanks Hetty, I will." She turned, looking at each member of the team. "Thank you guys, so much." Everyone nodded and started to leave, safe in the knowledge that they hadn't lost another part of their family. As each one left, they gave her a hug. Callen was the last to leave, hugging her the hardest and the longest.

"I love you Kens. Let me know if you need anything. Food, clothes, need someone to walk Monty. Whatever it is, we are here. I'm here." He pulled back, looking at her.

"Thanks Callen. Love you too. And uh…" she looked down, noticing for the first time blood on her clothes, "A uh, change of clothes would be great. Whenever you get a chance."

"I'll be back within the hour. I'll check on Monty while I'm there and bring you back some food."

"Thank you. For everything."

"That's what family is for Kens." She smiled at him, squeezing his hand and followed the doctor back to see her partner – in every sense of the word.

* * *

Waiting… that's all Kensi could do right now. She wished for some kind of movement from her partner, but it wasn't looking promising right now. Callen had already come and gone, bringing with him a burger and fries and her go bag with some fresh clothes in it. Kensi decided to go change and wash off as best she could right now.

Ten minutes later and feeling a little better about life, she sat down and studied his face. She noticed how peaceful he looked, but Kensi didn't like the quiet. It wasn't something that she associated with Deeks. She would gladly give up Twinkies if he would wake up and start talking _right now_.

Instead of letting her mind drift aimlessly, she pulled a writing pad out of her bag and found a pen and started writing to him. She didn't have any plan, but she was hoping it would pass the time and in a way it was like talking to him.

_This getting shot thing… I am going to need you to work on that. This is the second time in our partnership you have taken a bullet (well, technically it's three bullets now). Sam is going to have to start teaching you The Matrix moves or something. If you want us to grow old together, getting shot up is going to have to stop. _

_Seriously though Deeks. I think my heart stopped the second she pulled the trigger. I thought I told you to keep her talking? The man who can ramble on for hours about absolutely nothing couldn't keep going for another 30 seconds? Something else we need to work on, huh? Maybe I should start a list or something._

_I think I'm talking nonsense right now. I don't really remember a lot of what happened after she pulled the trigger. I think I forgot how to breathe when the doctor came out and said you were going to be okay. What else could you be? The thought that I wouldn't ever get to talk to you again, to hear you laugh or make fun of my eating habits, comment on my sleeping habits and hoarding abilities… it wasn't something I could fathom. As much as you can annoy me, it makes me love you that much more. _

_You know me like no one else ever has. Even when we were just partners, before the friendship really starting taking root, you could tell my moods with just a look. And you can say it's because that's what partners are supposed to notice, but I think even then there was something else. Our thing. We were powerless against it, even though we both fought it for so long. Too long._

_Why didn't we give in sooner? If something had happened to you tonight, I would have regretted the wasted years between us. Of course the memories we have, and will continue to make, are comforting (especially now), but now it makes me wonder even more about the future._

_If we had accepted our thing a year ago, would you have proposed already? Would we be married? A child on the way? _

_You know, thoughts like that used to scare me. A lot. Not even with Jack did I see - want - all this. I know you think you have to be gentle with me sometimes, but I'm tougher than I look. Not just physically, because you know I can kick your ass, but emotionally. The love you show me, it baffles me. And every day I wonder how I got lucky enough to find you. You've managed to get me to open up in levels I never imagined. How did you do it? _

_I realized earlier, sitting in the waiting room, that I want nothing more than to wake up in your arms every day, fall asleep next to you every night, and be with you for everything in between. Forever. One day, I want to walk down the aisle in a white dress. I want to hold our son and daughter and see you when I look at them. I want to grow old with you, sitting in our rocking chairs and talk about the good ole days. I didn't even know I wanted these things until you showed me what could be. _

_I love you Marty Deeks, always have, always will. Smile Sunshine!_

As soon as the exclamation point was placed, Kensi laid her head down on the side of the bed. The events of the day were finally catching up with her**, **and she was asleep as soon her head made contact with the edge of the bed.

A few hours later, that's exactly how Deeks found her. He came out of his sleepy stupor, confused about what was going on and where he was. His eyes felt like sandpaper**, **and his chest was on fire. He wanted to sit up but as soon as he tried moving, he felt like his chest was about to explode. Instead, he just lay there, looking around. He saw the heart monitor and all the other thingamabobs it did. So obviously he was still alive. Okay, that's good, he thought. Now, where is everyone?

He looked down, seeing brown hair pulled into a pony tail lying on his bed near his thigh, her face turned away from him. He started playing with the ends up, not wanting to wake her up right now.

_She's here, she's okay_. That's all he could think about for a while. He could see a piece of paper sticking out next to her head and he tried over so slightly to pull it out. Inch by inch, he pulled the pad of paper out from under her head until it was free.

"Geez Kens, you could have at least gotten a real pillow." He whispered it to her, his voice raspy and quiet. He took the pad and noticed the writing.

As he read her words, he felt contentment wash over him. Everything he wanted – with her – was what she wanted as well. _Good to know Fern. Good. To. Know_. He put the note pad on the table next to him. He started chuckling to himself but the pain caused him to gasp instead.

Kensi's head shot up, suddenly hearing noise after listening to silence for so long.

"Deeks…"

"Hey Fern." He tried smiling at her, but the pain he was still in caused him to grimace instead.

"Oh my God, Deeks, you're in pain. Let me get a nurse." He tried telling her no, but she had already pushed the button on the bed.

Not even a minute later, the room was full of people. Kensi stood back, watching as everyone checked the wound and his vitals, asked him questions. Deeks tried, but he couldn't take his eyes off Kensi. He answered the questions, looked at them when it was absolutely necessary, but the rest of the time was spent locking eyes with her. She would gave him reassuring smiles when they checked the wound and chuckled at him when they mentioned sponge baths.

Fifteen minutes later, the room was quiet again. Kensi had taken the seat next to him again, grasping his hand in hers. They didn't say anything, just sat there looking at each other.

"Kens, I –"

"Not tonight Deeks. Let's sleep tonight. We can tackle everything else tomorrow. Because unlike you, I didn't get a 10 hour cat nap."

"Yeah, I didn't exactly ask for it." They looked at each other a little longer, both of them once in a while bringing the other's hand up and kissing it. Deeks noticed Kensi's eyes starting to droop.

"Sweetheart, come here." He started moving to the right a little at a time, making room on his left side for her.

"No, Deeks, I'm going to hurt you. I'll just crash on the couch, it's fine."

"No, it isn't fine. And unless you want to wake up to me falling out of this bed to get to you, you will sleep up here with me. We'll make it work."

"Deeks…"

"Kens, please. I need you next to me, okay? Please?"

She was hesitant, but gave in. "Okay, just promise to tell me if I hurt you."

"You won't ever hurt me Sugarbear. It'll hurt worse not having you next to me." Kensi just nodded, and helped as much as she could to get him scooted over enough to give her room to lay down.

As soon as she was in the bed with him, everything clicked into place. He was okay. He was alive, breathing. He had his arm around her, and she fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat.

Her last thought before sleep claimed her was '_best sound ever_.'

* * *

_AN - Loved it? Hated it? I would really like to know, so leave me a review. :)_


	20. Chapter 20

_Well, here we have another chapter. It was meant to be more of a filler chapter, but it came out as something else. Another HUGE thanks to bookdiva for reading it over for me._

* * *

Deeks looked at his girlfriend with humor in his eyes. Three days earlier, he had been moved from ICU to a regular hospital room, and the nurses up here were a little more… _involved_ in his care than he thought necessary, but he wasn't complaining.

Kensi, however, had been nothing but cold to every nurse that walked in the room, and Deeks was enjoying the jealous streak he was seeing. He didn't even notice the other women, his reason for living was right next to him. But that didn't stop Kensi from showing the green eyed monster. And he was about to get another show.

Nurse Jenny walked through the door for the third time in an hour, causing Kensi to stiffen next to him. He smiled to himself before grabbing her hand, reassuring her she was the only one he wanted.

All Kensi saw was her complete opposite: petite blonde haired, blue eyed beautiful women, and she hated it. She hated that every nurse seemed to be what Kensi always dubbed 'his type,' and she hated the immense jealousy she was feeling every time one of them walked in the door.

"Easy tiger." He whispered it to her, amusement clear in his voice.

"Hello again Mr. Deeks. How are you doing?" She threw her best smile at him, but it faltered when she caught the look Kensi was giving her.

"He's the same as he was 20 minutes ago when you came in." Kensi's voice was cold as ice, her eyes narrowed.

"Kens…" Deeks squeezed her hand again, silently telling her to calm down.

"I'm just doing my job ma'am. Someone has to check his vitals and make sure infection isn't setting in."

"Now that you say that, I am feeling a little… _hot_." Kensi almost gave herself whiplash turning her head to him.

"What?! Why didn't you say anything? Damn it Deeks."

"I'm kidding Fern." He turned towards the nurse. "I'm kidding. I'm fine. No fever." The nurse just looked at him.

"Well, I'll just check to make sure." Purely for Kensi's benefit, he looked at his girlfriend and waited until she caught his eye.

"I think it's you that's making me hot." Kensi coughed, trying to cover up the blush on her cheeks. But her reaction was nothing to what Nurse Jenny was experiencing. Her face immediately went red, her jaw dropped, and she couldn't move. Whatever she had been expecting him to say, it wasn't that.

Deeks, for his part, just sat there, unable to keep the satisfied grin off his face. He was hoping that his _unique _way with words would help the situation a little. While he was flattered at the attention, if his Kensi wasn't happy then neither was he. And she came first, above everything else.

Nurse Jenny finished much faster than normal, keeping her eyes on his chart and the heart monitor, where most of his vitals were listed. She checked his wound, ensuring he had no infection and it was healing as scheduled.

As soon as she shut the door, Deeks started laughing, Kensi not far behind.

"The only one I want giving me sponge baths is you Fern. Those nurses out there, they are great at their job, but we don't need to make them feel bad at what they can't have. Because really, once they see all this, nothing will ever be the same for them again." He gestured to his body, watching the humor in Kensi's eyes.

"Wow Deeks, really? Kind of full you of yourself, aren't you? I think you overrate yourself. I mean, it's not bad, but I've seen better."

"Hmmm… is that right? Name one time." He sat there, waiting to see what exactly she was going to come up with.

"Well. You know. There was that one time. With that one guy. He had, um, big arms. Yeah, big arms. And blue eyes. And a cute butt. Much better than yours."

"I know a certain someone with big arms and blue eyes." Deeks wiggled his eyebrows at her. "And as for my butt, well, if the unhealthy way you always seem to be slapping it is in any indication, I'd say it's definitely the best one yet. You don't fool me Fern. I know you think I'm a catch. And you'd be right."

"I didn't know 'catching you' entailed hospital trips because crazy ex-girlfriends shot you and having to listen to you inside a bikini bar. Can I get a refund? Is there a return policy on this?" She looked around, pretending to be asking someone that very question.

"Nope, no refunds. Sorry babe. I guess you're stuck with me." Deeks wrapped his right arm around her waist, careful to not put too much strain on his chest.

"Guess I am. It's a good thing I like you."

"Don't you mean love?" He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Nope, pretty sure I meant like." She smirked at him.

"Well then, guess I'm gonna have to find someone else to give me a sponge bath. I bet the nurses will be lining up. Cat fights. I wonder if they would wrestle in jello. Wow, this could be interesting."

"You do that, and you won't make it out this hospital." He laughed at her, seeing the jealousy spark in her eyes again.

"You take all the fun out of it." He pretended to pout.

"No I don't. I know how to make it better." Well, this piqued his interest.

"Oh yeah, how's that? I mean really, what gets better than hot women wrestling in jello?"

"_Your_ hot woman giving you the sponge bath."

"Wow, yeah, I'm gonna say that's infinitely better. Damn this hospital bed and bullet hole. I think we are going to have to replay this particular dream sequence when I can be a more… _active_ participant. We are going to need to get you a nurse's outfit though. You know, for the sake of the part."

"Who says I don't already have one?" She watched the shock in his eyes before he narrowed them at her.

"What the hell Kens! Why didn't I know about this before now?" He tried to sound outraged, but the thought of this amazing woman in a hot little nurse's costume was all he could think about, and that wasn't something he could be outraged about.

Her eyes twinkled at him. "I only show it to those I really, _really_ like."

"Mmmm… well it's a good thing you like me then, huh?"

"Good thing indeed." She leaned forward to kiss him again. Just as her lips were about to meet his, the door opened again and yet another new nurse came in. Kensi sighed, and was about to pull back when Deeks closed the distance, effectively capturing her lips with his, not caring who was in the room. He had his woman here, taking better care of him than all the nurses combined simply by loving him. He didn't need anything else.

* * *

A week and three days after that fateful afternoon, the doctor being pleased with healing wound, Deeks and Kensi finally got to go home.

Sam and Callen had arrived ahead of them, making sure the fridge had food in it and the place was cleaned up. They were waiting for the two partners when they pulled up, each one ready to help with whatever was needed.

After some maneuvering, they finally got Deeks into the apartment and settled on the couch.

Callen looked around the room. "Okay, we've ordered pizza. There's beer in the fridge for us, juice for Deeks. We put some stuff in the freezer we know even Kensi can make."

"And by make, we mean heat up." Sam threw a knowing look towards Kensi, who stuck her tongue out at him, making everyone laugh.

"Nell picked up the pain pills for him and they are on the counter. Eric and Nell have been coming over every day and taking care of Monty." Upon hearing his name, Monty started wagging his tail, not bothering to move from his position next to Deeks. Deeks kept petting him, glad to be back with his furry friend.

"Did you have fun with Auntie Nell and Uncle Eric? Huh boy?" Monty just kept wagging his tail, his tongue lolling, and his mouth opened in a doggie-smile.

"You know it's time for a shave and a haircut when you can't tell the difference between the dog and the human." Deeks laughed at Sam's statement, knowing it was true. He hadn't shaved at all since he'd been in the hospital.

"I think you're just jealous I actually _have_ hair Sam." This caused Sam to start laughing too.

"I may be a lot of things, but jealous of your shagginess is not one of them."

"Keep telling yourself that Sam. It's okay. I know the truth."

"You wish."

Callen piped up. "He's got a point Sam. I think you give him so much crap about his hair because you can't grow yours anymore. Old age is a bitch, isn't it?"

"G, this –" Sam pointed to his head, " is done on purpose. If I wanted to, I could grow my hair out. But I don't. It's all about presentation."

"Yeah okay Sam. I think it's more about laziness. But I can share my secret with you if you want. Callen you might want to take notes, too. You just wake up, shower, shake your head and BAM! You've got sexiness. Or, if that's too much in the morning, skip the shower and go straight to shaking your head. Seriously - style by pillow - it's perfect."

"That explains so much. Kens, how do you put up with this?" Callen was now trying to get the conversation away from his hair style.

"Don't lie Kens. You know you like my golden shaggy locks." Deeks looked over at her, noticing her shaking her head and smiling at the conversation. Before she could answer, the doorbell rang, and she hurried to answer it. Callen came up next to her, opening his wallet and paying for the pizza.

"Callen, you don't need to pay for it. You guys have done so much at least let us pay for dinner." Kensi watched him, wanting to do something in return for all of their help.

"You guys can buy the beers when swiss-cheese over there gets better."

"Hey, I'm still two bullet holes shy of you Secret Agent Man."

"And we are going to keep it that way. I can't go through this again." Kensi had said it more to herself than anyone else, but they all heard it. Sam decided to change the topic.

"Alright, well, let's eat while the pizza is hot." They each dug in, trying to forget the events of the past week.

"Hey Kens, Hetty wanted me to tell you that you don't need to come back until next Monday. That'll give you time to get everything settled in, and by then Deeks should be good to look after himself for a few hours."

"Wow guys. What am I, five? Do I need to get a sippy cup for my juice, too? I'll be fine." Deeks rolled his eyes at them, making them laugh.

* * *

The rest of the week went by quickly, and before they knew it, Monday morning was upon them. Kensi didn't want to leave Deeks by himself, but she knew she needed to get back. She laid in bed, watching him sleep.

"I'll be fine Kens." He hadn't opened his eyes yet, but he could feel her watching him.

"I know, I just hate leaving you. Work isn't the same without you there." She brushed the hair out of his face as he opened his eyes.

"I'll be back before you know it. Hopefully I get cleared for desk duty soon. It's not the same as being your partner out in the field, but at least I'll be there." He tried rolling over a little, wincing in pain and decided against it.

"Are you sure you'll be okay? I know Hetty would…"

"I. Will. Be. Fine." Each word was punctuated with a kiss on the nose. "Look, how about I take a cab and meet you for lunch today. That way it breaks up the loneliness."

"Yeah, okay, lunch would be good."

"Now, get your cute ass out of bed and get going." Kensi laughed at him, kissing him softly. As she got out of bed, she shook her ass for him all the way to bathroom. She could hear him groan at the sight.

"Not fair Princess. Not fair at all!" He may have sounded aggrieved, but he loved it. She was always surprising him, keeping him on his toes. He thought back to when they first became partners and how uptight and serious she had been. They both had come a long way since then, and he couldn't wait to see what the future held. And speaking of the future, he had something he wanted to do while he was visiting her today, but he had to get rid of her first.

Pulling his phone out, he typed a quick message to Callen, who responded immediately, letting him know he would get Kensi away from the office for a little while. Suddenly feeling nervous, he tried to hide it when Kensi came out of the bathroom, fully dressed and ready for the day.

She looked at him, picking up that something was off. Deeks saw the look he was getting, and he knew he hadn't schooled his features well enough. _Shit, I gotta work on that_.

"What's going on?" She knew him well enough to know something was going on inside that beautiful head of his.

"Nothing. Just a little apprehensive about being here alone I guess." He hated using that as his excuse because he didn't want her feeling any worse about leaving him there alone, but it's all he could come up with that would be believable.

"Deeks…"

"It'll be okay Kens. I just got used to my own personal nurse. I'm a big boy. I'll manage just fine. And remember, we are going to have lunch today, so that's something to look forward to." She walked over to the bed and sat down.

"You're sure?" She looked into the brilliant blue of his eyes, getting lost.

"I'm sure. Now go or you're going to be late, and then Sam and Callen will rag on you for it, and I will have to get all macho with them and I think Sam could take me right now." She laughed at him.

"What?"

"Nothing babe. Just the thought that you could take Sam, even at 100%, is funny."

"Wow, your faith in me is astonishing. Really. I think it's time for you to go now before you deflate my ego even more. I mean, how am I supposed to recover now?"

"God you're cute when you pout. Okay, I'm going. I love you. Your medicine is on the counter. Do you need anything before I go? Want me to get you some breakfast?" Deeks immediately remembered the smell of burnt eggs he had woken up to the day before and cringed.

"Nope, no, I'm good. Seriously, go. I love you more. I'll see you soon." He kissed her quickly and she got up, grabbing her keys, badge and gun before blowing him a kiss and heading off to work.

* * *

"Hey Kens, I'm starving. It's your turn to get lunch since your love monkey isn't here to do it." Callen had a mission: get Kensi away from the mission for a while. Deeks had something to talk about with them, and he didn't want Kensi there for it.

"Can't today. Deeks is coming by and then we are going to get some food. But I'll bring something back with me." She hadn't even looked up from her computer as she responded, wanting to get this paperwork done.

"Nope, no dice. If you hurry, you can get to that little taco stand down the road before the line starts wrapping around the block. I'm not going to sit here starving while you and lover boy make goo-goo eyes at each other for an hour."

"Man's got a point Kens. You shouldn't have offered to take up his duties while he was out. That was mistake number one. Number two was thinking G was going to wait for lunch." Kensi sighed, looking at her two older brothers.

"Seriously guys? I can't just bring it back with me?" They answered in unison. "Nope."

She got up quickly, giving them both glares. "Fine, but just for that, I'm taking a longer lunch." Callen snickered as he watched her walk away. He knew Deeks was waiting around the corner, and he sent him a text telling him the coast was clear.

Three minutes later, Deeks slowly made his way in. The walk was more than he had done in two weeks, and while the fresh air was good, the exercise wasn't making him feel the best right now. His chest was aching and his body was weak.

Watching him walk in, both partners looked at each other.

"Wow Deeks, you look like shit, man." Sam was never one to hold back.

"You have such a way with words Sam. Thanks. Good to know I'm looking better." Deeks sat down on the couch, needing the rest. This wasn't one of his better ideas.

"So Deeks, what did you need to talk to us about? By the way, Kensi is going to be pissed if she finds out you wanted her out of here when you showed up." Callen just watched him, wondering what this was about.

"I'll get to that in a minute. First, can you do me one more favor? I'd make my way up to OPS right now, but I don't think I'd make it up the stairs, and I'm not about to ask Sam to carry me." Callen chuckled, picturing that exact scenario.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Can you have Eric, Nell and Hetty come down here, too? It's something that involves everyone." Sam furrowed his brows at this.9t

"If everyone is involved, shouldn't Kensi be here, too?"

"Not yet. You'll understand sooner if you could the Wonder Twins and the ninja herself down here." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he regretted it.

"Ninja, Mr. Deeks? Well, I guess there are worse things to be called." Hetty suddenly emerged, Eric and Nell behind her. "Now, what did you need to see us about?"

He felt like he was going to vomit. He didn't think he had ever been this nervous before in his entire life.

"I um, well you see, I wanted…" Deeks took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts.

"Kensi is the most important person in my life. I love her more with every breath I take. I can't imagine a life without her, and I want, with your permission," he paused, making eye contact with every one of the team before continuing, "I want to ask her to marry me." He exhaled, his heart hammering in his chest. Nobody said anything at first, all of them speechless.

"Look, I know it seems fast. It hasn't even been a year yet, but that woman, she is everything to me. _Everything_. I would die before I'd hurt her. I want to spend the rest of my life loving her, making her laugh, listening to her problems and helping her solve them. I want to show her that she deserves all the happiness in this world, and make her dreams come true. I don't know what the future will hold, but I know that I want to spend it with her. You guys, every one of you, are our family, and it would mean the world to me to have your acceptance in this." He dropped his head, wondering if this was a bad idea.

"I give you my permission." Nell was the first one to talk. "I would have given it earlier, I was just taken aback for a minute." She gave him a wide smile and walked up to him, hugging him gently, mindful of his injury.

"You have mine, too, Deeks." Eric was next, walking up and shaking his hand. "Congrats dude."

Deeks chuckled a little. "Save the congratulations until she has the ring on her finger. You never know with her. But thanks Eric."

"Mr. Deeks, I gladly give you permission." Hetty came up to him, taking his hand in hers and patting it. "You both bring out the best in each other, and I know that time will only bring you two closer."

Sam was next. "I've said it before, I'll say it again. You hurt her, and you will wish for death. But I know that Kensi would kill me if I did that, even if you deserved it. And coming from her, that's saying a lot. You're like a brother to us Deeks. I freely give my permission." Sam shook his hand, smile on both their faces.

Everyone turned to Callen, who hadn't said a word. He was staring at Deeks, his face unreadable.

"That's my sister Deeks. She may not be blood, but she's family." His voice was almost hard, and everyone was holding their breath. Deeks could feel his stomach drop. "Everyone here is. It's hard to imagine a time when you two weren't together now. But marriage?" Deeks just nodded his head at him.

"Well, if you are absolutely sure that you want to be the butt of jokes, deal with an underfed/over-sugared woman by noon, be a personal punching bag, clean up after her, laugh at her bad jokes – and all of this is at work, this doesn't count the crazy Kensi at home – if you think you are ready for that, then you have my permission." Everyone exhaled at once before laughing, knowing that everything he just said about Kensi was true.

Deeks was the most relieved, worried for a second that he was going to have to use his wicked charm on him to get his permission. _And if the charm didn't work, I could always use blackmail. _While he and Kensi had been cleaning the mission a while back as part of Deeks's "probie" duties, they had found a video of Callen going undercover in a gay bar. It had been hidden behind some very strategically placed bricks in the wall, and if Deeks hadn't been trying to clean some spray paint off one of them, they never would have noticed it.

The video showed a much younger Callen shaking his ass in tight short shorts and a tank top. He had played the part surprisingly well, too. Because the video had been so carefully hidden, they had been very careful in putting it back, each one slightly horrified and very amused at what they had seen. Since they had never heard anyone bringing that particular alias up – and Sam would have jumped all over that one if he knew – they guessed this was before Callen was NCIS.

Deeks stood up, grasping Callen's hand before he was pulled into a man-hug. He didn't care how bad it hurt right now. He had just gotten permission for everyone in Kensi's life who mattered to her. Even Julia and her father had given permission. And he knew without a doubt that he wasn't going to wait long before asking her. This time off he had while he was healing, it would be a perfect time to go ring shopping without her knowing. Yep, it would be soon.

Just as he was sitting back down, Kensi walked in with lunch. She set everything down on the desk and looked over.

"Hey! You're here! Hope you haven't had to wait long. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum couldn't wait for their lunch." Deeks laughed at her names for the guys.

"Nope, just got here. You ready? I'm starving." Kensi grabbed her purse. "Yep, let's go." She grabbed his hand and pulled him along. He waved by to everyone, mouthing a silent 'thank you' to them before walking off with Kensi.

Two hours later, Kensi had dropped Deeks back off at the apartment and was making her way back to work. She had expected an array of comments to be made about her late lunch, but no one was there when she came in. She headed up to see Eric and Nell and find out what was going on.

Learning that the guys had gone to question a suspect at the boat shed (and knowing she wasn't needed right now) she headed back to her desk, determined to make headway on her and Deeks's paperwork.

Halfway through the afternoon, she sighed. It was as though with every report she finished, three more took its place. She sat back, feeling a headache coming on. Opening her drawer, she saw a king-size snickers there with a pale purple note around it.

Laughing at the gift, she took the paper off of it and loved seeing the familiar handwriting.

_To My Favorite Choco-holic,_

_Please don't eat this in two bites. You end up getting food all over your face and I'm not there to make inappropriate but very true comments about it. Like how I could lick it off for you, or if you liked it so much maybe I could pour some chocolate on me later…well, you get the drift. Have a great rest of the day baby girl. I love you, and I'll have you back in my arms soon. Smile Sunshine! - D_

She ate her snickers, the smile never leaving her face. By the end of the day, she had hers and Deeks paperwork finished up and grabbed her stuff, heading home.

_Home_. One of the best feelings in the world was being able to go home to a man that she loved more than anything.The only thing better was being able to go home with him, not to him. But that would be soon enough. He had some healing to do before then.

As soon as she walked in the door, she was greeted by Monty. Setting her stuff down, she immediately bent over and loved on the dog, missing her partner laying on the couch watching her.

"Did you miss me, boy? I know baby, I missed you, too."

"You know Kens, when you bend over like that, I can see down your shirt." She snickered at him, letting him have his view while she loved on Monty. As soon as she stood up, Deeks busted out laughing.

"What, seeing down my shirt is funny to you?" Deeks couldn't catch his breath. As much as it was killing his chest, he couldn't stop laughing.

"I see you got my present." Her eyebrows furrowed together.

"Why?"

"You have chocolate all over your face Kens. Really? I gave specific instructions not to eat it that fast." She immediately started blushing, trying unsuccessfully to get the chocolate off.

"Here, let me." He grabbed a napkin and started cleaning off the smeared mess she had made. Once he was sure he had gotten it all, he pulled her to him, kissing her.

"I missed you. And chocolate flavored kisses are awesome." She kissed him back, laughing against his lips.

"Well, you know, I aim to please. Thank you for the surprise Deeks." She pulled back, looking at him.

"Anything for you darlin', glad you liked it. Now, I'm starving. Make me some dinner woman." She raised her eyebrows at him. "By 'make' I mean what would you like me to order in?" She laughed.

"That's more like it. You call in Yummy Yummy Heart Attack and I'll take Monty on a walk and pick it up." He nodded his head, calling in their order. Life was perfect. And he was ready to make it even better.

* * *

_AN - I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Please leave me a review and let me know. :)_


	21. Chapter 21

_Because there is no new episode this week, I am hoping to bring you at least some form of sunshine through this. Good luck people, it's long and full of fluff._

_THANK YOU to the absolutely amazing bookdiva. She puts up with a lot of rambling stuff from me and helps me figure out my thoughts. She is nothing short of amazing!_

_One more thing - to every person who has followed/favorite/reviewed this, I am absolutely blown away. Thank you all so SO much!_

* * *

Two more weeks had gone by since Kensi had gone back to work. She hated leaving him every day, but he had been cleared to drive a few days ago, so at least now she didn't have to worry about him getting around without her. He was due back for desk duty the following Monday, and Kensi couldn't be happier. He may not be in the field with her for a while, but he would be there. And that's what mattered.

It was Friday afternoon, and she was more than ready for the day to be over. Deeks had been kind of quiet the last couple of days, and she wasn't sure why. She thought maybe it was because he was bored at home all day.

She pulled up, anxious to get inside. In her haste, she didn't notice his red car was missing from the parking lot. When she opened the door, she immediately realized something was very off. The lights were dimmed and there no Deeks or Monty to greet her. She put her gun and keys on the table next to the door before she noticed the rose petals on the floor. A huge grin on her face, she followed the petals to the bedroom and looked around. The bed was made, and the scent of roses filled the room. Glancing around, she noted that the only light in the room came from the flameless candles that littered the top of the dresser and side tables. The rose petals made a heart in the middle of the bed, and in the center was her favorite pale purple paper. Grabbing it, she sat on the bed as she read his words.

_My beautiful Kensi,_

_It's been a long day. A long week. A long month. Go, wash away your worries and soak away your stress and doubts. Tonight is all about you, and showing you just how much I love you. _

_There's a timer in the bathroom in the form of music. Once the music stops, it's time to get out and get ready for the next part. Don't worry, I've given ample time for you to enjoy your bath. Your next set of instructions are on the closet door. No peeking Kensi Blye – I know how you roll. Please, do this for me. I love you, more than life itself. Smile Sunshine! - D_

Smiling at his words, she resisted the urge to look at the closet and walked to the bathroom. More of the flameless candles were scattered about the small space, casting a romantic glow around the room. She noticed the stereo on the counter with the words PRESS PLAY on top. Turning the water on, she let the bathtub fill up to the brim. She pressed play, listening to the sounds of a violin float through the air. She briefly remembered Deeks telling her he used to play the violin. Undressing, she stepped into the hot water and sank down. For the next 45 minutes, she listened to a lone violin player serenade her as she let her mind shut off.

When the last of the chords melted away, Kensi sighed and got up. She hadn't realized just how badly she had needed that until now. Stepping out of the cooling water, she noticed how much more relaxed she felt. She rolled her shoulders and shrugged into the robe hanging on the back of the door.

Padding her way to the closet, she saw the note taped the door. She pulled it off and smiled.

_So Princess, I hope you feel a little better now that you got to soak for a while. Here's a little secret just for you. That amazing violin player you listened to? That was me a long time ago. I hope that the music soothed you as it did me when I played it._

_Now, in the closet is a black bag. Everything you need is in it, from shoes to accessories. Once you are dressed and ready, walk outside. Don't worry about taking a purse, phone, or gun. Your next set of instructions will be waiting. I love you, always have, always will. XOXO – D_

She felt giddy as she opened the closet and looked for the black bag and saw _Smile Sunshine _taped to the outside of the bag. It was towards the back and she grabbed it, putting the hanger on the door so she could undo the zipper.

Opening the bag, she saw a maroon halter top dress with black lace covering the top half. A black high waist belt separated the bottom half which was just maroon with a small amount of the same black lace at the bottom. She pulled a pair of black wedges from the bottom of the bag along with bag containing two jewelry boxes. Kensi quickly slipped the dress over her head and smiled. It fit perfectly. The top was nice and snug while it flowed out after the belt and ended about 2 inches about her knee. It was elegant and comfortable. She opened the jewelry boxes, finding a black diamond bracelet and matching earrings. She quickly fixed her hair and makeup and looked at the final product in the mirror. _Wow, Deeks did really good with this outfit. That man has good taste._

Smiling, and wondering what the next part of this entailed, she did as instructed and walked outside, locking the door before she closed it. She waited, having no idea what she was supposed to do now. As she slowly turned around, she didn't see Nell walk up. When she made the turn, finally noticing Nell, she audibly gasped.

"Nell! Oh my god you scared me. Are you taking lessons from Hetty or something? What are you doing here?" Nell smiled at her friend, not giving anything away.

"I'm the instructions you were waiting on. C'mon Kensi, we have to go." Nell turned around and started walking to her car, Kensi following.

As Nell got in, she discretely pressed play on a voice recorder hidden near the console.

"So, where are we going?" Kensi knew her friend wouldn't tell her, but she figured it wouldn't hurt to ask anyway.

"Come on Kens, you know I'm not going to tell you." Nell and Kensi both chuckled.

"Do me a favor Kensi. Tell me your favorite memory of Deeks while I drive you to your next destination." Kensi thought about it for a minute.

"My favorite memory of Marty Deeks. Really Nell, I don't have just one favorite memory of him. Every day we are together, he has this way of making me smile, just by a look. He makes every moment together count, even if it's just a touch of the hand on our way into a shoot-out. The way he insists on

opening doors and pulling out chairs for me. Sparring with him in the gym and feeling a sense of pride when he actually wins." They both laughed at that, knowing it didn't happen often.

"I don't know Nell. If I had to pick a favorite memory, it would have to be a tie between the day he came back from the LAPD undercover mission and we became official, and our first date – our _last_ first date. We were both so nervous, but really, I have no idea why. He's my best friend, and I should have known he would blow me out of the water with it. I have never felt more special than I did that day. Although, this one is quickly going up on the list. Do you know what's going on Nell?" Kensi raised her eyebrows at her.

"You're not getting anything out of my Blye. Don't _even_ try." She smiled over at her friend, knowing this was going to far surpass the first date.

A few minutes later, Nell pulled up and parked in front of a flower shop. Kensi raised her eyebrows at her.

"Okay Kens. This is where you get out. Go inside. That's the only instruction I have for you."

"Will you be here when I get out?" Nell just smirked at her and shrugged her shoulders.

"You're very good at the whole mysterious clue thing Nell." They both laughed, and Kensi leaned over to give her a hug.

"I don't know what's going on, but thank you."

"Anything for you guys." Nell pulled back and smiled at her, tears pricking her eyes. "Now, get outta here and go get your next clue." Kensi nodded her head and climbed out. Nell waved at her, watching her friend go inside the shop.

Kensi opened the door to the flower shop and walked in. She looked around at the beautiful flower arrangements. She saw a little old man with white hair and glasses smiling at her from behind the counter. She gave him a smile and walked up.

"Good evening ma'am. I have something for you." He pulled a gorgeous bouquet out and laid it carefully on the counter. Kensi gasped at it. She had never seen anything as beautiful as the flowers laid out before her.

"When Marty came in and wanted to put this together, it took us two hours to come up with the perfect arrangement. He picked out every flower here." He started pointing out the different flowers, telling her their meaning.

"The Gerbers means you are the sunshine of my life. The Lemon Blossoms symbolizes a promise to be true and fidelity in love. Phlox represents harmony and a good partnership. The white Zinnia's are goodness, while the magenta Zinnia's show lasting affection. I now see the reason he chose the variegated Tulips, as it represents beautiful eyes, which you certainly have. The Delphinium's equals fun. Edelweiss shows courage and the Gladiolus means strength of character and love at first sight. The red Roses throughout are for passion, the pink Roses for perfect happiness and the coral Roses are desire. Even the Baby's Breath equals purity of heart and innocence."

By the time he had finished telling her what each flower represented, she had tears in her eyes. He pulled a pale purple piece of paper out next and handed it to her. She smiled at him.

"Thank you so much. You have no idea what this means to me."

"Oh young lady, but I do. I was young and in love once. She was my entire world, and I made sure I did everything possible to show her how important she was to me every day."

"You talk about her in past tense?" His eyes misted for a minute.

"We were married for 53 years when we received news she had cancer. By the time the doctor's found it, there wasn't anything they could do. She passed away peacefully two months later in my arms." By this time, Kensi had tears trickling down her cheeks.

"I am so sorry for your loss." She sniffed, not even able to fathom losing the love of her life.

"It's okay dear. She gave me 53 years of memories and three children to hold onto. Those children have now given me grandchildren, and I thank God every day for the time I had with her. I know she is in Heaven waiting for me, and while I can't wait for the day I see her face again, I know that I am surrounded by the love and support of our family, and there is nothing else I could ask for." He patted her arm. "Don't cry for me child. Cherish the love that this young man has for you, and I hope that you two have as many happy years as we did." She nodded her head, unable to form words right now. The man walked around the counter and gave her a hug before walking to the back. She stood there for a minute, thinking about his words. She unfolded her note and read the words the man she knew she would love forever had written her.

_To The One Who Holds My Heart,_

_Every flower I chose for you means something. I know Mr. Williams explained the meaning of them, and I hope you realize just how special you are. You are my world Kensi. Words and flowers cannot even come close to expressing the love that I have for you, but it's a start. I will love you with every breath that I take for the rest of my life, and I will spend every second of that showing you how much you mean to me. And even then it wouldn't be enough. But I will never stop trying. I believe in you, in us, and I know that no matter what life throws our way we can make it through._

_Now, it's time for the next part. All you have to do is walk outside, and you will know what to do. I love you sweetheart. I know that if Mr. Williams told you part of his love story, you probably have tears in those beautiful eyes right now. So I need you to smile sunshine! - D_

She took a breath, and did as Deeks told her - she smiled. Taking the bouquet gently into her arms, she walked outside, wondering how she would know what to do next. Looking around the quiet street, she noticed Eric's truck sitting there. He saw her and got out, smiling at her.

"Hey Kensi. Your chariot awaits m'lady." He gestured grandly to his truck and she laughed.

"Thank you kind sir." He opened the door for her, making her laugh even more. She watched him run to driver side and jump in. She missed the little gesture he did with his hand, thinking he was just messing with the air controls.

"We never seem to have time, just the two of us. There's always other people around." Eric was trying damn hard not to sound nervous, and was fairly proud at his attempt.

"Yeah. We should hang out more. I'm sorry we haven't done that in the past Eric."

"Hey, it's fine. We all get busy and all of that. I understand, really. Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure." She watched him, wondering why he seemed nervous, but deciding not to call him out on it. This was the first time he had ever been around just her and not acted _too_ awkward, and she wanted to keep it like that.

"What's your favorite thing about Deeks?" She sat there, wondering where these questions were coming from. Nell had asked her a similar question, wanting to know what her favorite memory was of them. Deciding not to question it, maybe they were just curious, she thought for a minute.

"My favorite thing about Deeks…. Well, I think it's his ability to know exactly what I'm thinking, before I even know myself. He has an uncanny ability to read my mind, and it used to scare the bejesus out of me. No one had ever been able to read me like that. But now, I am thankful that he can do that, because sometimes I can't verbalize my thoughts, and he just seems to know when I need a smile or something equally as simple. Sometimes, just the touch of his hand can calm me down. It's insane and scary and soothing to have someone know you that well." She stopped and smiled.

"A close second would be his eyes. As well as he knows me, I know him just as well. He tries sometimes to downplay things, but I can read his eyes and know exactly what's going on, good or bad. I love seeing the mischievousness and twinkle when he's happy. I can see every mood he has by his eyes, no matter what his facial expressions or body language says. We can even have conversations without words, communicate with just a look. That has saved our lives more times than I can count, and I couldn't be more grateful for it. For everything about him." Eric looked over at her and smiled as he pulled up to her favorite coffee shop.

"What are we doing here? You thirsty?" Now her eyes held confusion, not quite understanding what was going on.

"Nope, but I bet you are. It's been a long day, why don't you go in and get some coffee." She was now starting to put some pieces together.

"If the last stop was anything to go by, you aren't going to be here when I come out, are you?" Eric tried so hard not to say anything, and Kensi took pity on the pained expression on his face.

"It's okay Eric. You don't have to say anything." He looked relieved, knowing if he had to say anything else he might spill the whole plan.

"Thank you Eric. For everything. And anytime you wanna hang out, let me know." She smiled at him and he returned it.

"Sure thing, Kens. And you're welcome." Kensi hoped out of the truck and grabbed her flowers. She walked into the deserted coffee shop and frowned. This place was usually hopping with people. It was Friday night, shouldn't they be busy? She walked up to the counter, and the girl standing behind it smiled.

"Hello. Give me two minutes, and I will have your beverage ready for you."

"How do you –"

"Trust me." The girl smiled at her and walked off. Kensi just stood there and watched. Deeks had thought of everything.

True to her word, two minutes later she set the large cup in front of her along with a piece of homemade lemon bread and a note.

"Thank you." Kensi smiled at her.

"You are very welcome. It was my pleasure." The girl walked off, leaving Kensi alone. She maneuvered the flowers in her arms so she could carry the drink, bread and her note to a nearby table. After getting everything settled, she sat down and took a sip of her coffee. Opening her note, she took a bite of the lemon bread and moaned in appreciation.

_Sugarbear,_

_If I know you, you moaned when you took the first bite of the bread, didn't you? I did the same thing when I tried it. It's amazing. Maybe you can try and make it sometime? I know that baking soothes you. I hope you enjoy the coffee. You have ten minutes to enjoy the bread and drink your coffee (even though I know you'll be done in five). When you finish, wander on outside, where the next part of your adventure begins. I love you Sweet Tooth Blye! - D_

Well, this is definitely an adventure, she thought to herself as she finished off the lemon bread. As she sat there at the table, she thought back to the events of the night. Here was a man who had taken a lot of time and effort to set this up for her. That was the kicker. It was all for her. She had never - not oncein her whole life - felt this loved and appreciated.

Finishing up her coffee and throwing away her trash, she carefully tucked her notes into the paper around the flowers. The door rang as she opened it, and she stepped out, immediately recognizing the black Challenger in front of her with Sam at the wheel. He put his hand up to stop her from walking. Getting out, she started laughing as he walked around the car and offered his arm to her. She happily put hers through his and they finished the walk to the car together arm-in-arm.

As he opened the door for her, she couldn't help but shake her head. "It would seem that the men in this family don't think a woman can open her own car door." It would have seemed like an almost rude statement if she hadn't been laughing when she said it.

"Chivalry is still alive and kickin', Kens. We are just reminding you of that fact. Enjoy it." He smiled at her as he closed the door. As he got in the driver's side and started the car, he messed with something near the air conditioner and looked at her.

"You look beautiful tonight. Happy." He put the car in drive and started towards their next destination.

"Thank you. I am happy Sam. Sometimes I feel like it's more than I deserve." She looked out the window.

"Kensi Kensi Kensi. You deserve nothing less than the happiness you are feeling right now. I hope that it does nothing but grow, every day. Because you do deserve it Kens. Every ounce of it." He reached over and squeezed her hand, making her look at him.

"Thank you Sam. I am so glad I have you as a brother."

"Same here Kens. I couldn't have asked for a better sister. Hell, a better family." She nodded, understanding exactly what he was saying.

"Hey, tell me about the first time you met Deeks. I know bits and pieces, but only how it pertained to the case. What were your thoughts?"

She let her mind drift back the Blood and Guts Warrior gang and the MMA gym where she had first met Marty Deeks and she started laughing.

"I knew Jason Wyler was hinky. The way he looked at me when I introduced myself as Tracey, girlfriend of Zuna. His eyes immediately narrowed, and I could tell he didn't believe me. But I couldn't understand why. There was also something else in his eyes. Wariness yes, but interest maybe? If I believed in that sort of thing, I would say it was love at first sight that I was seeing. He stood out among the others, not only because he was wearing red and white while the others were wearing black and grey, but just… something was off." She shook her head at the memory.

"I remember when Callen and I went to Zuna's house to check it out and he walked in. It was definitely not something I was expecting, and I was on guard, especially after seeing the gun. I came up with the photos thing but he didn't believe it so I switched to a drug buy. I remember the electricity that ran through me when Callen knocked on the door and Deeks walked by me, bumping into me. It was a shock to my system, I swear my shoulder tingled for the next two hours." She took a deep breath.

"Then there was the almost embarrassing amount of relief I felt when we found out he was with LAPD on an undercover assignment. At least I didn't have an almost primal attraction to a dirty scumbag." Sam chuckled at that. "I remember the sense of urgency when you were alone with Janklow, hoping he would get there in time. And the rush of relief and gratitude when he waltzed in, telling the whole world he didn't want to renew his membership and helping you out."

"I still maintain that I had it in there. I didn't need his help." Sam tried keeping a straight face, but even he didn't believe it. It made Kensi snort.

"Yeah, okay." She was silent for a minute, thinking back to that fateful case, when Sam's voice cut through her thoughts.

"You know, Callen and I called it. We both said you had a thing for those baby blue eyes and his fluffy hair. Even Callen said you were stuck, smitten –"

"-whatever," she finished for him. "I remember, don't worry."

"Hey, you were the one who said you were stuck on him first. We were just stating the obvious."

"Sam, can I ask you a question?" She looked over at him. For his part, he glanced at her and nodded.

"Anything."

"How do you… how do you make it work? The relationship and the partnership?" Sam furrowed his eyes, taking a moment before answering her.

"You do it exactly as you have been. It's not easy, but nothing in our line of work ever is. When you add something more to it, it either works or it doesn't. You and me, it's worked. Many others before us have tried and failed. You two, you bring out the best in each other. Deeks has learned to be more serious and you have lightened up and stopped taking so many risks. You two have found that precarious balance between work and home. And just like your '_thing_,' that line will constantly change. But after a time you learn the moves and change with it."

"I think the thing that scares me the most is knowing each day could be our last. There's that fear that every time we walk out of OSP, one of us won't be coming back." She looked at her hands folded in her lap.

"Living life in fear is not living Kens. Would you rather go back to when you were just partners? Would you give all this up because of fear?" Her answer was instantaneous.

"No."

"Then don't dwell on the what if's in life. Don't let it rule over you. If anything, our job makes each of us appreciate the beauty in this world a little more. We all make sure to live life to its fullest, just in case it _is_ our last day. And God forbid, if one of us doesn't come back, we know that each one of us lived with no regrets. And at the end of the day, isn't that what everyone wants?"

"No regrets." She smiled over at him. "Although, if Callen doesn't find out what the 'G' stands for, he may be the one that has regrets." Sam laughed.

"We can always make something up to put on his tombstone. Because God knows I'm going to bury him. That way we don't have to worry about where he is anymore." They both laughed, knowing Callen would probably come back to haunt every one of them until they figured out his first name.

The rest of the drive was fairly silent. Suddenly Kensi recognized the area and before she knew it, they were pulling up outside the MMA gym… the same gym she had met Deeks at. She turned, looking at Sam.

"What… Sam, why are we here? What's going on?" She had confusion written all over her. Of all places she had gone tonight, she had never expected this.

"Trust me Kensi. And don't worry. The place is secure and you won't be alone. And Kens, before you even think it, yes we all know you can take care of yourself. But this is your night, and there's no reason for you to feel like you need your guard up tonight. Enjoy what's waiting for you." He got out and walked around, opening the door for her and helping her out.

"Thank you Sam. I don't know what exactly is going on, but thank you for helping with it."

"Anything for family Kens." She gave him a hug and smiled before turning and walking in the door. She let the memories come flooding back as she walked up the steps. Turning at the top, she shook her head. Everything was just like she had seen it last time, however this time the boxing ring was framed in white rope Christmas lights, providing the only light in the place. As she walked up to it, she saw the little table set up in the middle of the ring with a chair and a computer on top. Briefly wondering how she was going to maneuver the ropes to get to the table, she noticed that one side of the ring had the ropes down. She went over and used the stairs that were strategically placed. _Wow, he really thought of everything._

Placing the flowers on the table, she saw two purple pieces of paper taped to the top of the computer that said BEFORE and AFTER. Taking them both off, she opened the 'before' paper.

_Kensalina –_

_It turns out, it didn't take much to find this little gem you are about to watch. I am entrusting you to keep your little dancing monkeys secret. _

_And… Action!_

The only thing she could think of when she read this was 'please, _ please_ let this be what I think it is.'

She opened the laptop and pressed play on the screen. She watched as a young Marty Deeks walked up on stage with some other kids behind him. He looked to be in high school and had clearly not yet begun to have facial hair. The smoothness of his face made him look even younger and she chuckled. She watched as the band started warming up. _I wonder who shot this footage._

After a couple of minutes, the lights dimmed a little and a spotlight hit teenage Deeks. She could now clearly make out Touching Wood on his shirt and she laughed out loud, unable to suppress it.

She listened to him belt out a few songs, more impressed by him than she would ever admit. He was a lot better here than that day she had found out about his little band and he tried to do an impromptu show for her, being unable to do anything but say 'Baby'. She laughed again thinking of that day. She sang along with the next song and then realized the show was over. Sighing a little bit, she wondered what she could bribe him with to get a repeat performance. And then the mother of all ideas hit her. _He used to dance… exotically. He could dance _and_ sing for me. Oh yeah, that's happening._ Laughing almost manically now at where her thoughts had gone, she almost forgot about the second note. Sobering quickly, she pulled it out and opened it.

_Well Fern, now you know all the deep, dark secrets. Well, the embarrassing ones anyway. I still have a few secrets, but don't worry, I'll tell you what they are, just not today. The stuff I showed you today, the violin playing and the concert, those were for amusement (although I hope you actually enjoyed both very different performances). Do you know how many YouTube videos I went through to find this thing? Anyway, you don't want to know what else I found scouring the universe for this (I think I'm still having nightmares about it). Told you I wasn't that bad. _

_I hope the trip to the gym brought back good memories. The place where it all began. Can you believe it's been that long ago? I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you that day that you were going to make a difference in my life. Exactly how that difference was going to be made I wasn't sure yet, but I think it was love the moment I saw you. Well, Jason definitely fell in love Tracey the moment their eyes met. But I think Marty got the better end of the deal when he fell in love with Kensi. I was infatuated the moment you said I was lucky you didn't shoot me. And it only grew from there. The more I got to know you, the more you let me in, the more I fell in love. _

_So Princess, grab your stuff. Don't worry about the computer (and yes, you will get a copy of this video) and head outside. Smile Sunshine! XOXO – D_

She sighed and looked around. _He's right, this is where it all began_. She took in the walls and the paint, the equipment hanging up. She hoped to one day bring their kids here, taking them down memory lane.

As she grabbed her flowers and tucked her notes away with the other ones, she let her mind wander to what their kids would look like one day. She hoped the little boy had his daddy's blue eyes and her hair. The little girl would have her daddy's hair and her mismatched eyes. They would both be a perfect combination of the two of them. She smiled as she opened the door, not surprised to see Callen leaning against the hood of his car.

"Well hey there Kens. I figured you'd be another 5 minutes, at least." He smiled at her, offering his arm to her and walking her to his car.

"Oh yeah, why's that?" She let him open the car door, just like Eric and Sam had done. By this point, she wasn't going to question it anymore. Before Callen closed the door, he leaned in.

"I could hear the witches cackle out here. I love you Kens, but sometimes your laugh is terrifying." He closed the door and she glared at him until he opened the door to the driver side, sliding in. She immediately hit his arm when he closed the door.

"Hey, don't abuse the driver." He rubbed his shoulder. Since Deeks had joined the team, he hadn't been on the receiving end of her punch in a good while. Good to know it hadn't lessened any over time.

"Well don't insult the passenger." Satisfied that she had effectively reminded him that she could still pack a punch, she settled in as he drove off.

She watched as he messed with the controls for the air. She narrowed her eyes a little.

"Is there a reason every person I have ridden with has messed with the controls as soon as they start driving?" Callen just looked over at her. Damn, she's good, he thought, but he kept his face neutral.

"I was getting warm, figured you were too. If you don't want air, just say the word." He fixed the temperature until cool air started blowing out of the vents. "If it gets too cool, just let me know." She nodded at him.

"So how was the trip down memory lane?" He looked over at her in time to see the smile that lit her face.

"It was really great. I thought I had a good memory of that day, that case, but it was so much more vivid the moment I walked into the gym. It was incredible."

"Now that you mention it, you've talked about when you two first met. Where do you see yourself in ten years?" Kensi looked over at him.

"Personally or professionally?"

"Both."

"Professionally, I have no idea. I absolutely love what I do now, but I guess that kinda rolls in the personal aspect. Ten years from now, I hope I'm finally married to Deeks. If we are lucky enough to have kids, I'd like to think that I could find something within NCIS that isn't as dangerous as what we do now but doesn't take me out of the field completely. Maybe something with forensics? I don't know yet. It's a long time down road. A bridge we will cross when we get there. I'm happy with the status quo right now. It's not something I'm ready to give up." She saw him nod his head, obviously happy to hear that the team dynamics won't be changing for a while.

"Personally, other than the marriage and kids, I want a house by the beach, so Deeks and I can go surfing. Have you ever really seen him surf Callen? It's pretty amazing. I don't know why he never went pro with it, he's that good. I want him to teach our kids, even though I will have to act like I don't want him to. And I want Uncle Sam and Uncle Callen to teach them all their secrets. Uncle Eric and Auntie Nell can teach them all about technology, and Grandma Hetty will bestow her ninja secrets." He laughed at the last part.

"So the thought of marriage and kids doesn't scare you? You used to avoid the subject like the plague, Ms. One Date Only.

"Honestly? The thought still scares me. But I know with the right person, the fear lessens, somehow morphing from 'I don't want it' to 'will I be good enough?' And I know that Deeks is the right person."

Callen looked over and grabbed her hand. "I'm glad Kensi. I want you to be happy. I want you to have the husband and the kids and the house with the white picket fence. It's still a little weird that Deeks is the one to give that to you, but I also know that there is no man alive who can love you and give you those things like he can." She squeezed his hand, knowing his acceptance of it – their thing – was huge. She hadn't realized she had been wanting his approval until he had given it.

"Thank you Callen. You have absolutely no idea what that means to me." He pulled into the parking lot of the beach and parked the car.

"Alright Kens. This is the end of the line." He got out and walked around, opening the door for her. She took his offered hand and got out.

"By the way, you look amazing tonight. I'm sorry I didn't tell you that earlier." She set the flowers carefully on top of the car and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him with everything she had.

"Thank you Callen. For absolutely everything. We may not be blood, but you are my family, the brother I never had. I love you so much, and I'm sorry I never tell you that. Thank you for always being there for me." She whispered this to him, feeling the blush on her cheeks. She and Callen had never really had a heart to heart, but that didn't mean she didn't love him like a brother.

"I know Kens. I love you too, and I will always be here for you, no matter what." He pulled away from her and smiled. "Now, it's time for you to smile. Follow the path right over there." He pointed behind her and she turned. "You may want to take the shoes off, though. Sand can be tricky." She laughed, and he smiled. He held her arm as she took the shoes off, handing her the flowers and gently nudged her.

"Get going. You've got happiness to find." She cocked her head at him, wondering what he meant by that.

"Bye Callen. Thank you." He nodded at her and climbed back in his car.

Kensi started walking down the beach, seeing the flameless candles again lighting her a path. It wasn't until she was started around a sand dune that she heard Callen's car start and he drove off. As she made the turn, she stopped and admired the way the moon reflected off the waves. The night was perfect, a gentle breeze coming off the ocean and the sound of waves lapping at the shore. She followed the candles a little father before she saw a blanket sitting on the ground, surrounded by the candles. She was in a secluded cove now and she looked around. She didn't see Deeks at all, but she knew he couldn't be too far.

As soon as she was a little closer, she noticed something in the middle of the blanket. When she finally reached the blanket, she saw it was a piece of paper, but not on the normal pale purple paper. She looked around again and didn't see anyone. Setting everything down beside her, she picked up the paper. She started shaking as soon as she saw the handwriting, recognizing it was her dads.

_I will never have the pleasure of meeting you, talking to you, looking you in the eye as you ask for my daughters hand in marriage. I will never see the love you have for her shining in your eyes, or hear the smile in her voice as she talks about you. I will never shake your hand or smoke a cigar with you or give you the third degree to make sure you are good enough for her. _

_Kensi Marie Blye won't just fall in love with anybody, though. He has to be fearless and brave, tough and smart. He has to know when to be funny and when to be serious. Because my baby girl is way too serious for her own good._

_I hope you make her smile. Every day. Because there is nothing in this world that can compare to the REAL Kensi smile. _

_I hope you make her laugh. Even as a child she was serious, and I want you to make sure she takes time to enjoy life and appreciate the small things._

_I hope you are her safe haven. She would take on the world if she could. She needs someone she can come home to who helps her remember that she doesn't have to do it by herself. Someone who shoulders her responsibilities with her, not for her. If she wants your help, don't make her feel helpless._

_I hope you are her best friend, her most trusted confidant. Let her tell you her secrets, but safe guard them. She doesn't trust easily, and if she trusts you, you have the world at your feet. But trust her in return with your secrets and fears. _

_I hope you are her light in the darkness. The one who will always be there to chase away her demons and save her from the nightmares. She needs someone she can count on always. Don't let her push you away, no matter what. If she thinks she is protecting you from something, she will do whatever she has to. Do NOT let her do that to you. Remind her, every day, you are in this with her, that she doesn't have to do anything alone. One day, hopefully, she will fully understand this. _

_I hope you are patient with her. She is proud, and stubborn, and hard-headed. She can argue with you until she is blue in face, regardless of if she is right or wrong. I think she got that from me._

_But most of all, I hope you love her, every day, no matter what. She deserves nothing less than that. If you are reading this, Julia gave it to you because she feels that you are THE man for my Kensi. She has seen the way you look at her, the way you treat her, the way you love her. And she has seen the way Kensi loves you. That's good enough for me. So young man, know this. She is my everything,_ _even though I am not there anymore. Treat her right and love her with everything you have. If you can do that, then you have my permission to marry her. _

_- Donald Blye_

Kensi was almost sobbing at the end of the letter, unable to fully comprehend what was happening. When did her dad write this? And where did it come from? She sat there for a minute, rereading the words. She gasped when everything started clicking into place. She immediately looked up and yelped a little, her partner right next to her on one knee.

"Kensi Marie Blye. You are the most perfect woman I have ever met. Maybe not to everyone, but you are perfect to me. The love that I have for you is not something I can even begin to describe, the feeling so overwhelming at times I find it hard to breathe. You make me want to be a better man, every day. I want to be the man you deserve. I know I can't promise blue sky's ahead, because there is not one good relationship that hasn't had issues, but one thing I can promise you - I will love you for the rest of my life. If there comes a time when there is nothing constant in our lives, know that my love for you will always be there, never wavering. Because everything in my future is you. I want to have a house with you, I want to have kids with you, grow old and sit in our rocking chairs talking about the good ole days."

He smiled at her, and she chuckled, recognizing the words she had written when he was in the hospital.

"I want to be everything your dad wrote in that letter. I would be honored to be the one who makes you smile and laugh every day, as that has been my mission in life since meeting you. I want to be your best friend, your safe haven, the place you go to for comfort and advice. I want to help you shoulder your problems, because you don't have to take on the world alone. I will always be here, whether it be a shoulder to cry on or someone to laugh with. I will always be on your side, no matter what side that is. I promise Kensi that you will be the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about at night - forever. Because I can't imagine anything less than that."

Deeks opened the little blue box, revealing a 1 carat princess cut diamond ring, surrounded by smaller diamonds. Kensi's hand flew to her mouth, tears still coming down.

"Kensi, will you join me in forever? Will you marry me?"

Kensi couldn't breathe, she just sat there. Deeks wasn't worried. He knew that sometimes it took her a minute to catch up. He just kneeled there patiently, watching her face with amusement. A good minute had passed before Kensi looked up, making eye contact with him.

"Are you going to put it on me?" He raised his eyebrows at her and cocked his head to the side.

"I was kinda waiting on an answer first."

"What? I said yes Deeks!"

"Princess, I am pretty sure I would have heard you say that. You didn't move until just now, much less give an answer."

"Are you sure?" She really hadn't said anything?

"Really sweetheart? Trust me, I would have heard that word." He just sat there looking at her, a smile on his lips. "You know, you could always say it again. Just for good measure and not in such an accusatory tone."

"Yes! Yes Deeks, I will marry you. Now put the ring on my finger damn it." She laughed and held her left hand out. As soon as he slid it on she tackled him, pressing her lips to his and kissing him with every ounce of love she had for him.

This whole evening had been incredible. She had started out just thinking this was some kind of elaborate date idea, because Deeks was known to do that. But reading the letter her dad had written, she knew this was so much more than a normal date.

Hearing Deeks tell her he would love her nothing short of forever, she knew that she felt the exact same way. He was her everything, and together, their love was perfect. She pulled away from him for a minute.

"I love you so much Deeks. Always have, always will." He rolled them a little so they were both lying on their sides facing each other.

"Forever Kens. That's how long I will love you." He couldn't wipe the grin off his face if he tried.

She had never seen him smile like that before, but it was definitely a look she could get used to. She caressed his cheek as he let his hand wander her up and down her back.

"This dress looks amazing, by the way."

"Thank you. You look pretty good yourself." She hadn't really noticed what he was wearing until now. Black trousers and a sea-blue button up collared shirt that made his eyes pop. Yeah, good was an understatement. A thought suddenly popped into her head.

"Deeks, when did you set all this up? I mean, I know it was pretty easy since you've been home, but this… this is elaborate. And getting everyone involved?"

"As for setting it up, you answered that yourself. I've been home during the day. It was easy to get everything set up while you weren't there being nosy. And getting everyone involved? Well, that took a little more finesse. And some favors that you may need to help me work off."

Kensi raised her eyebrows at him while they sat up. "What kind of deals did you make? Wait, do I even want to know?"

"You know what? You're probably right, I don't think you want to know." He shuddered, more for effect than anything, making her laugh.

"Seriously though Deeks. Everything was amazing. The most romantic thing I have ever experienced, hands down. I didn't think anything could top our first date, and here you are, blowing it out of the water."

"Well, I guess your one-upper syndrome rubbed off a little. Except instead of trying to one-up you, I'm going to have to one-up the romance." This made Kensi snort.

"Wow, maybe you should have started off smaller. This is going to be hard to top." Deeks grabbed her hand, unable to go without contact with her for long.

"I think you need to have a little more faith in my romancing abilities Fern." He pulled her to him, kissing her with a passion that she returned with equal fervor, grasping the front of his shirt to get him closer. They stayed like that until air became necessary. He started kissing her cheeks when he heard her stomach growl, making him laugh.

"Hungry Princess?" She laughed a little. "Yeah, I could eat something."

He snickered at her. "I now know just how long coffee and a piece of lemon bread can last. Gonna need to store that information for the next stake-out we go on. Although, I think a box of Twinkies can still outlast this. Really though Kens, you think maybe you could share the treats next time?"

"I'll share next time IF you promise me something." He could see the twinkle in her eye and knew he was going to regret this, but he couldn't deny her anything anyway.

"Anything."

"Oh oh oh, you are going to regret that statement." He hung his head for a minute before looking back at her.

"Bring it on Blye. Lay it on me."

"I want you to promise that I will get a repeat performance of the Touching Wood concert I saw earlier tonight." He narrowed his eyes at her.

"What else is there to that? Seems to easy." She grinned widely at him, almost shaking with excitement.

"I also want what I already paid for." He cocked his head to the side, the pieces not quite coming together. She decided to take pity on him.

"I paid you for a dance… and not just any dance, I want to see the Marty Deeks Exotic Dance Special while serenading me with songs from your rock band days."

"Oh. My. God." She couldn't stop laughing at the look of almost embarrassed horror on his face. Yeah, this was the best day _ever_.

"Is there any way we could negotiate the terms of that promise?"

"Nope. Take it or leave it." She kissed him again, showing Deeks how much she liked the thought of him dancing for her. She pulled back and smiled at him sweetly.

"Fine. Deal. But I want at least 3 Twinkies out of that box." She laughed.

"You got it. I think I can live without three Twinkies, especially for what I'm getting in return."

"For the record, this will be a one time show. And no recordings." Kensi started pouting. _He likes taking the all the fun out of it._

"What uh, what can I do to change your mind on that?" He raised his eyebrows at her. "Which part Princess?"

"Whichever part you think I can change your mind about." She licked her lips, hoping to seduce him into giving up something.

"I see what you're doing right now. Damn you and your witchy powers. Let's leave it at this. If I make it through performance number one without breaking a hip in my old age, AND I get a Kensi Blye Special Dance in return, we will talk about a repeat performance."

"I can tell you right now, you break a hip and we may have to rethink this marriage thing." He laughed at her, shaking his head.

"Well? Deal or no deal?" He stuck his hand out, waiting to see if she would take it. Kensi thought about it for a minute before putting her hand in his.

"Deal. Now, it's time for actual food. I'm hungry."

He kissed her again, soft and sweet this time and grabbed the picnic basket. He pulled out two containers of Thai food from their favorite spot around the corner and handed her box over.

Kensi, in all her sophisticated glory, started shoveling food in her mouth. Deeks just sat there, watching his beautiful bride to be, and smiled to himself. _It will definitely never be boring. _But that didn't matter to him. All that mattered was them being together. And in his mind, the sooner the better.

* * *

_AN - For anyone who wants more of the Kensi/Deeks engagement talk, stay tuned. This chapter got a little out of control. However, on that note, I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on it. Please review. Please? :)_


	22. Chapter 22

_This one...is a little different. I followed an actual case from the show (Fish Out of Water). If you haven't seen that episode, proceed with caution, as much of the story is that, with a little twist on it. _

_Thank you to bookdiva, who gave me idea, helped me gather my thoughts with it and then read it over for me. She is absolutely one in a million!_

_Disclaimer - characters and anything you recognize is not mine._

* * *

Deeks woke up to sun rays on his face and the sound of waves crashing on the beach. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the sleeping woman next to him. _God she's beautiful. _And he was going to get to wake up to this - her - for the rest of his life.

He was lying on his back, Kensi curled up against him on her side. His right arm was around her side. She had her right arm thrown over his stomach and her left arm was between them, bent at the elbow so her arm was up, fingers intertwined with his. He could see the diamond on her finger sparkle against the sun, and it was one of the most amazing things he'd ever seen. This amazing, beautiful woman had said yes! He wanted to shout it from the highest building so everyone would know. Instead, he took his free hand and started running his fingers up her arm.

"Please tell me I'm dreaming." She didn't want to open her eyes.

"I've learned my reality is much better than my dreams." He started stroking her cheek, waiting patiently for her to open her beautiful mismatched eyes.

"Reality is only good if I end up waking up in a bed. Because if we slept on the beach last night, then that means I didn't get any engagement booty, and that happened in my dream. So tell me, am I dreaming?" She snuggled closer to him, inhaling his scent and almost moaning.

"Well, when you put it like that, reality sucks. Because we are most definitely on the beach." He chuckled a little, watching her eyes flutter.

"Well damn. If engagement booty is anything like what just happened in my dream, we are both missing out." She started running her hand over his flat stomach, feeling the muscles quiver at her touch.

"Why don't you show me exactly what we're missing out on?" She kissed him slowly, seductively, wanting nothing more than to be in a bed at home, right now, with him. Just as she started lifting his shirt up a little higher, they heard the sounds of kids running down the beach somewhere. It was early, but the day promised to be beautiful, and they couldn't fault the families for wanting to get there and enjoy it.

They both sighed, pulling back.

"Come on fiancé; let's take this to a more… private place. Where I can show exactly what I dreamed about." She kissed him again before sitting up. As Deeks sat up, he regretted it instantly. His chest started throbbing a little and he could feel bones he didn't know he had start to pop.

"I'm getting too old for this. I used to be able to party all night, catch a few Z's on the beach before waking up, surfing and then heading to work, only to do it again the next night." He put his hand to his chest, feeling the pain lessen a little.

"Yeah, well, this is my first all night beach experience, and even though nothing happened, I have a feeling I'm going to be finding sand in some very interesting places for the next few days." He smirked at her, packing up their stuff from last night.

"I bet it's nothing a good shower won't fix, with yours truly of course. I can be very… thorough."

"You sure you won't throw your back out? Arthritis start to kick in? I hear old age is a bitch." She smirked at him and he walked up to her, wrapping his arms her waist, pulling her close. He nuzzled her neck before kissing her soft spot there, causing her to moan. He worked his way up a little more until he reached her lips, kissing her until she couldn't remember her name. He pulled back, putting his forehead on hers.

"I don't think we have to worry about throwing my back out… unless you want to try that one thing from your book. I can't promise no injuries, but I bet it would be fun." She threw her head back and laughed before bringing her lips to his again.

"Let's start with the shower, and then we can see where it goes from there."

"Deal. Kens, we're getting married." He grabbed the basket and blankets and Kensi grabbed the trash and her flowers from the night before. She looked at the different ones he picked out, remembering what Mr. Williams had said about each one before looking over at Deeks as they made their way to his car.

"We are. I um…" she started fumbling with her words here. She didn't know how Deeks was going to react to this. "Well, I mean…" She sighed. Deeks normally would have felt a little nervous about Kensi stumbling over her words, worried that something bad was about to happen. But she had said _yes_. He was pretty sure he could take whatever she threw at him now, knowing they would be in it together.

"Kens, sweetheart, just spit it out." He gave her a knowing look and smiled at her.

"Idon'twanttowaitthatlongtogetmarried." It came out so fast, almost like one word that the only thing Deeks heard the first and last part.

"Princess I have no idea what you just said. I heard 'I don't' and 'get married.' And it's too soon for you to be saying you don't want to get married to me. You've got the ring. You aren't backing out now."

"I don't want to wait that long to get married." She almost whispered it, and if he hadn't been listening, he wouldn't have heard it. He stopped in his tracks and looked at her.

"Why?" It's not that he didn't want to marry her as soon as possible – because he absolutely did – he just wanted to know what was going on inside her head.

"Last time this happened, he left me before I could do anything but say 'yes.' I just…"

"Kens, that's not going to happen. I'm not Jack, and I'm not leaving you. Not as long as I can help it." Kensi looked up at him.

"I know Deeks. I know you aren't going anywhere. I just don't want to take any chances. Our jobs, our lives, it's crazy on good days. I want to be your wife. I want to know that nothing short of death is going to separate us."

"If I thought we could get away with it, I'd take you to Vegas right now and say I Do. But I have a feeling we would have a pissed off family - your mother included - who wouldn't be very happy with that." He leaned over, kissing her again.

Kensi signed. "I know. I don't want a year-long engagement though. This – you – that's what I want." She threw the trash into the bin and helped Deeks pack everything in the car.

"Well, it doesn't need to be big. Family, friends, booze, and someone to make it legal. Right?" It didn't seem that hard to him.

"Yeah, that's it. Oh, a dress. And some flowers. A cake. Oh my God I have no idea what to do." When Jack had asked her to marry him, they had decided they wouldn't start planning it until he got back from his tour. And then when he came back, the only thing she did was try and make him better, and wedding plans weren't really included in that.

"Kensi baby, it's okay. I bet Nell and your mother would be happy to help you. And you know I'm here, too. I can't guarantee I will be much help, but I'm here. Don't worry. It will be fine." She snorted at his use of words. "It will be great. How's that?"

"You're right. Whatever and whenever we decide to get hitched, it will be great. And I know Nell and my mom will help." He grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers together as he made the drive to their place.

"I love it when I'm right." He glanced over at her, his smile lighting up his face.

"Don't get used to it." She squeezed his hand and smiled back.

* * *

As the two got home and the stuff put away, Kensi started walking backwards towards their room, slowly untying her dress and watching Deeks. She used her other hand to crook her finger at him, beckoning him to her. It was like he was in a trance, matching her steps and never taking his eyes off of her. By the time she made it to the bathroom, Deeks had caught up to her, helping her out of her dress.

Kensi turned the water on, steam quickly filling up the room and turned back to Deeks, pushing his shirt up and off. She stared at his chest, using her fingers to trace circles before reaching down and unbuttoning his pants. Deeks's hands were roaming all over her before he kissed her.

"Mmmm… I think it's going to take a while before all this sand is off." As soon as Kensi got her fiancé just as naked as she was, she pulled him into the shower with her.

"Oh… yeah… definitely going to take a while." Deeks closed the shower curtain, effectively closing them off from the rest of the world.

By the time the hot water had run out and all the sand was eradicated, the two pulled themselves out of the bathroom; sated, happy, and in desperate need of a nap. Just as they laid down on the bed, covers pulled up and wrapped in each other's arms, Kensi's phone rang.

"Nope, no, I don't care if the world is ending, you are NOT answering that." Deeks was shaking his head vehemently, not wanting to move. Kensi just chuckled at him, rolling over and answering the offensive ringing. While she couldn't agree more with him, she knew she couldn't ignore it.

"Kensi." _Please, please don't let us have to go in._

"Oh, hey Kens. Wasn't sure if you were going to answer the phone or not. I mean, it's not like I haven't tried calling about five times in the last 10 minutes, but I knew you guys had a busy night last night. Wait, not busy as in _busy_, but busy as in there was a lot going on. Not that y'all didn't get busy or anything." Well, awkward Eric was back full force.

"Eric. Stop, take a breath. What's up?" Kensi almost had to use a stern voice, trying to get Eric to stop the rambling and let her know what was going on.

"I know this is the weekend, and there's a celebration that should be going on right now, but we need you guys to come in. There's been a bombing at a fish market, and we need all hands on deck." Kensi let out a heavy sigh.

"On our way." She hung up the phone, turning into Deeks's arms again.

"Why are we going in?" Deeks was rubbing his hands over her back, wanting nothing more than to stay right there forever.

"Bombing at a fish market. Who does that?" Kensi regretfully pulled herself away from him, knowing if she didn't put some distance between them they wouldn't leave the bed.

"Militant vegans?" The two dressed, quickly grabbing their badges and guns, heading out the door.

As they walked into OPS, the first order of business was a round of congratulations. Nell gushed over the ring and wanted all the details, Sam and Callen gave hugs and handshakes. Eric just smiled, telling them congratulations and hugging Kensi, slapping Deeks on the back.

"Hey Eric, what did you say to Kensi this morning that had her blushing? It takes a lot for that to happen." Deeks grinned at him, knowing exactly what he had said.

"Oh, nothing. I didn't say anything." Eric turned, him being the one who was blushing right now.

"Stop it Deeks. Leave him alone." Kensi was still blushing at this point.

"Wait, we want to know what he said." Callen could only imagine what came out of his mouth on the phone.

"No, you guys, you really don't." She was still uncomfortable talking about this, and Deeks was not making it any better. Sam opened his mouth to say something, took, but Kensi stopped him in his tracks.

"Don't. Whatever you are going to say, shut it. Moving on. Eric, what do you have for us?" Kensi was now desperately trying to get the attention away from her.

Eric and Nell launched into the case, effectively turning everyone's attention, when Hetty walked in.

"Congratulations Mr. Deeks, Ms. Blye. Now, before everyone runs off, I would like a minute alone with the newly engaged couple in my office." At that, Kensi and Deeks looked at each other, both cocking their heads to the side and followed her downstairs.

"You wanted to talk to us Hetty?" Deeks sounded almost nervous now.

"Don't worry so much Mr. Deeks. I just wanted to give you my personal best wishes on this happy occasion. I am sorry you had to be called in for a case so soon afterwards, but that wasn't something I could help." Both Kensi and Deeks nodded, each having a feeling there was more to the story.

"In saying that, Mr. Deeks, I would like you to accompany Mr. Callen and Mr. Hannah to the crime scene."

"What about Kensi?" Deeks eyebrows furrowed, wondering why he wouldn't be going with his partner.

"Ms. Blye, I have video I need you to read for us. It may have something to do with this case, and you are the best there is when it comes to lip reading. You will join Mr. Deeks later." Kensi nodded, happy that at least there wasn't anything weird going on. The request sounded legit, and she would meet up with Deeks later.

"Okay, I can do that. Is that all?" They both looked at the Operational Manager, waiting to know if they were dismissed. At her nod, they both stood, thanking her again for the congratulations and walked away.

As Deeks was getting his stuff to head to the crime scene, Kensi pulled him to the side, giving him a quick kiss.

"Let me know when you are done at the scene and where you're going next. Hopefully I will be done with this by then and I can meet up with you." He nodded his head, giving her another kiss.

"Hey, love birds, can we get going? The sooner we wrap this up, the sooner you two can get back doing what you were doing earlier." Deeks got a mischievous look in his eye and was about to make a smart ass remark when Kensi answered for him.

"Jealousy doesn't look good on you Callen." She smirked at him when he raised his eyebrows at her.

"Har-Har Kens. Come on Deeks, let's go." He smiled at them and walked away. Deeks stole one more kiss, leaving them both wanting more even with just a peck on the lips.

"I love you Kens. Always have, always will."

"I love you more. Now, get going. I'll meet up with you later." She smiled and watched her man walk away, happy that he loved her as much as she loved him, but already feeling the loss of his presence. She walked upstairs, ready to get this lip reading thing done so she could meet back up with her other half.

* * *

When the threesome arrived at the crime scene, they quickly looked around to see what they could find. Deeks checked the cameras and Callen started talking to the father of one of the deceased who worked there. Not getting any information, the three stood there talking about what to do next.

After telling Sam and Callen that the cameras were disabled, he held up an evidence bag.

"What's that?" Sam just looked at him.

"Don't ask." Callen was shaking his head.

"It's a Red Herring." He couldn't keep the smile off his face. Sam made a 'Pfft' sound and turned his back, causing Deeks to chuckle.

"Come on man, this is an actual Red Herring."

"Don't encourage him." Callen was trying to keep a straight face and failed.

"I'm not." Sam couldn't help but laugh a little.

Before it could go any further a woman started demanding to see a body, stating she knew him. The guys watched as she was told not to go by, only instead of stopping she backed up a little and then barged past. Deeks walked up, attempting to stop her when she elbowed him too. Sam and Callen had seen enough. Stopping her from going any further, she told them she was a federal agent too.

As "Nina" was telling them what she knew about the drug smuggling and the guy she was supposed to be getting close to, she started swaying a little. Before any other words could come out, she passed out, falling into Callen. As they laid her down, Sam noticed two blood spots on the bottom of her pants leg, and as he pulled it up, he confirmed that she had two stone fish dorsal fins in her leg.

Callen and Sam stood outside the fish mart, watching EMS work on Nina and Deeks walked up, letting them know she was signing herself out, AMA**, **and declining further medical treatment. Callen needed her back at the boat shed to find out what else she knew.

"Charm her, Deeks." Deeks just raised his eyebrows at him.

Sam had to pipe up, too. "She'll love it." Deeks just smiled, shaking his head.

"Kensi is going to be so pissed if she finds out you told me to charm another woman." Callen just laughed at him.

"Maybe so, but I don't have to live with her. Besides, I said charm her, not sleep with her. We just need you to get her back to the boat shed." Deeks started nodding his head, half smile on his lips.

"You got it." He walked up the ambulance, watching Nina. _Yep, Kensi is going to be pissed._

After introductions were made, where Deeks learned Nina's real name was Talia, he tried to convince her that they could take over the case, but she wasn't having it.

"Why weren't you working with a partner?" Deeks was suddenly wondering why she was working alone.

"Because they just… complicate things. What's your excuse?" He saw the interest in him in her eyes before if flickered away. _Charm her._

"I'm a one man army." He tried smiling, but he already felt sick from saying it, knowing that was the farthest thing from the truth.

Talia nodded, assuming she knew what was going on in his head. She agreed to his help and Deeks finally managed to get her to his car. He sent a quick note to Kensi, letting her know they were headed to the boat shed.

* * *

Deeks was hoping that Kensi would be waiting for them back at the boat shed, but the quiet that greeted them upon walking in made him sigh. He didn't really want to be alone with Talia, but he had a job to do, and do it he would. He would just do it better once his partner came back.

Deeks helped Talia over to the couch, her leg still not supporting her very well. He started getting a little uncomfortable when she didn't immediately let go of him and he narrowed his eyes. _Kensi, hurry the hell up._

Kensi walked into the boat shed as soon as Talia asked if Deeks could do a deep tissue massage on her leg. She saw his eyes narrow at her and decline. She stood there quietly, wondering what was going on.

"Well, I see why you don't have a partner."

"I do have a partner."

"Where is he?" Kensi had heard enough. She cleared her throat and walked in.

"_She_ is right here." She gave Talia a tight smile before looking at Deeks. Deeks had already glanced down at her finger while she wasn't watching, not seeing the ring. As soon as Kensi looked at him, he cocked his head to the side. She put her hand to her chest nonchalantly, letting him know she had it around her neck. His eyes lit up a little, happy to know that even though it wasn't on her finger for the world to see, it was close to her heart.

Talia sat there, watching the wordless exchange.

"Wow, whole conversations with just a look. Impressive." She kept her eyes on Deeks, and Kensi couldn't help but chuckle a little.

If this had been even a week ago, she knew she would have been green with jealousy, unable to stop the glares and harsh comments. Now, with an engagement ring around her neck, she had no reason to be jealous of this woman, who clearly wanted what she couldn't have. Instead, Kensi was smug in the knowledge that he was hers and hers only.

Instead of getting territorial like Deeks thought – and secretly hoped for – Kensi just smiled a little and stood up, walking to the coffee pot. As she was getting her coffee ready, Talia stood up.

"You have a bathroom in here?" She looked around, taking note that Kensi had her back to them. Deeks had stood up as well and started walking over to where Kensi was.

"Yeah, it's right over there." He pointed to the next room. As soon as he started to pass her, she took a step and fell into him, causing Deeks to hold his arms out and catch her before she fell.

Hearing the commotion, Kensi turned around, eyes wide at the scene in front of her. It seemed that Talia was now literally throwing herself at Deeks, and Kensi had a smile playing at her lips as Deeks looked at her, mouthing the words 'help me.' Kensi just shook her head and laughed a little, turning back around to finish making her coffee.

_Oh, she's gonna do that is she?_ Deeks couldn't believe his fiancé wasn't going to help him out of this. It would seem that the newly engaged woman was a lot more confident now in their relationship. As he helped Talia get her bearings back, he thought back to when he was in the hospital and the jealousy that was coming off of Kensi in black waves. This Kensi, the one who had a diamond ring hanging around her neck, seemed almost playful now in the looks she was giving Talia, as if she didn't mind the other woman obviously hitting on him. Deeks chuckled a little.

"Something funny?" Deeks had been staring at Kensi's ass and had now been caught, as Kensi turned around and knew exactly where his eyes had been by the blush slowly creeping into his cheeks.

Deeks recovered, looking down at Talia for a second.

"Just admiring the view." Talia gave him a small smile, thinking for a minute he was talking about her until he turned his attention away and looked at his partner again, noting the blush now on Kensi's cheeks.

"Ahh, I see." Talia looked back and forth between the two. Deeks and Kensi looked at each other, amusement playing on their face. Deeks looked back at Talia.

"And what exactly do you think you see?" Before Talia could answer, Hetty walked in.

"I see two people who have a very unique partnership that is extremely effective. Now, in saying that, Ms. Blye, Mr. Deeks, Ms. Del Campo, I am going to need you three to work together on this case. The DEA has asked that we team up and work together, and I agree."

Hetty looked at everyone, noting the shock on Kensi and Deeks face and the almost smile on Talia's. _She thinks she knows what's going, but she has no idea. _Well, if she knew her agents as well as she thought she did, they would find a very interesting way of letting Ms. Del Campo know that Deeks was taken.

"Why would you need a third person in this? It would seem that those two would be able to hack it just fine. I can go on my way, and leave them to the partnership thing." Talia was not comfortable being the third wheel, preferring to work alone… but she would make an exception for Deeks.

"Mr. Deeks has not been fully cleared for field work. I need you three to go check out Mateo's car, see what you can find." As Hetty turned, she spoke over her shoulder. "And play nice Ms. Blye."

Kensi chuckled a little. "I always play nice Hetty." The grin on Deeks's face was huge, and Talia wondered for a moment what exactly she was missing.

The ride to Mateo's car was interesting. Kensi drove her SRX and fought with Deeks over the radio station. Deeks gave her crap about needing some chocolate. Talia sat in the backseat, watching the exchange, wondering how these two worked as partners. If they hadn't been smiling, she would have thought they hated each other.

After a few minutes of silence,Kensi gave up the radio when Deeks handed her a candy bar. Talia kept glancing between the two of them. Kensi seemed to feel the looks, even though she hadn't made eye contact with her since leaving the boat shed. She decided to keep her mouth shut for now, as they had just pulled up to Mateo's car. They all got out, walking up to check it out.

"Give me a second, I'll pick the lock." Deeks was on the driver side, Talia taking the passenger and Kensi was at the back, looking under the car to see if she could find anything.

"Passenger door is unlocked." Of course it is, thought Deeks. Talia leaned over and unlocked the driver side door for him.

"Glove box is empty." Talia got up, looking in the backseat. "Back is empty too. I think he ditched the car and dumped the evidence."

Deeks was looking around on the floor board. "Not so fast. He left this." He held up a nut.

"What's with your little nut?" Kensi stood up at this, head cocked to the side. _Did she just say that?_

Deeks decided not to comment on that, knowing the other woman in the vicinity would make sure he didn't make it home with his if he did.

"Possible shrapnel for an IED."

"Or, it's just an old car that's falling apart." Talia pulled out a cloth, wiping down the seat.

"What are… what are you doing?" Deeks just looked at her.

"Checking for drugs."

"Okay, that's not why we're here. If you feel the need to swab, use this and check for explosives residue."

"You can go swab yourself." She smirked at him. "Hey, do you smell that?"

Kensi had been quiet long enough. "What, your Britney Spears body mist?" Talia glared at her, making Deeks chuckle a little. _That's my girl._

"Ha. Cute. No, it's something industrial. Passenger floor, it's an organic solvent. It's not Muriatic acid, it's not ether. Think these guys were into meth?" Kensi squatted down next to Deeks and watched as Talia used her knife and cut open the floor board.

"Really? That's not gonna help the resale." They both waited while Talia kept looking. Not finding anything else, they all stood up. Kensi saw Deeks lean down to get his stuff and glanced over at Talia, who was staring at him. The original amusement she felt towards the woman was quickly turning to annoyance.

"Alright, let's get out of here. Come on Deeks." Kensi's voice had gone hard, tired of the games from Talia. Deeks just raised his eyebrow at her, knowing what she was thinking and wanting to reassure her. She just glared at him for a minute before stomping towards the car. Talia glanced over at Deeks, who just sighed and walked to the car, too.

The drive back to the boat house was a little more tense. Talia once again was looking between the two before Kensi spoke up.

"What's up Talia? You seem confused about something." Kensi kept her eyes on the road, and Talia wondered how she knew.

"Just wondering how you two make this partnership work. There are times you almost seem hostile towards each other, but the more I watch, the more it's not hostility but something else. I just can't figure out what the something else is." Deeks looked back at her, knowing exactly what it is but not wanting to let her know that just yet. Instead, he just looked at her, narrowing his eyes a little.

"Look, I had a partner a long time ago, and things got… complicated." Both Kensi and Deeks raised their eyebrows at this. They understood complicated.

"And?" Deeks asked.

"I did something stupid, and it didn't turn out so well. It's a long story." She smiled at him. "After a few margarita's, you might get it out of me." Deeks coughed, blushing slightly and Kensi slammed on the breaks, causing them both to lunge forward.

"Damn Kens. What the hell?" Deeks rubbed his chest a little where the seatbelt had rubbed.

"Whoops." She gave Deeks an apologetic look before looking in the rear view mirror. "Sorry." Talia just looked at her.

They made it back to the boat shed in one piece – barely – and watched as Sam and Callen interrogated Mateo. Talia pulled out her tablet before looking up at the duo.

"What's your wifi password?" She was looking at Deeks who was making a point not to look at her. Kensi answered for him.

"It's classified." Talia glared at her.

"Are you serious?"

Deeks decided to answer this time.

"What? We've got good 4G if you need to check your email." He gave her a big smile.

"I need band width for the DEA site." Talia looked frustrated now, shaking her head.

"Look, if you need wifi, there's a coffee shop down the road. You can get us a latte while you're there." Kensi smiled at her this time, knowing this was driving her crazy.

"You know, with your attitude, I'm surprised he puts up with you." Kensi opened her mouth to make a sharp retort when Deeks put his hand on her back slightly before leaning over, grabbing the tablet and putting the password in.

"What are you checking for?" Deeks was now curious, and hoping like hell this case wrapped up soon.

"DEA lab. Chemical analysis. The substance found on the floor of Mateo's car, is a mixture of enzymes and bacteria used to treat septic systems, and it is unique to that industry." Talia handed the tablet back to Deeks, and Kensi walked up behind him, hand on the back of the chair so she could barely touch him and read over his shoulder. He leaned back a little, making sure he had complete contact with her hand.

"So you think Mateo's cleaning septic tanks?" Deeks raised his eyebrows at Talia.

"More likely he's driving a truck."

Kensi looked doubtful. "Do you know how many septic tank companies are in Los Angeles?"

"Nope, but I'm about to find out." Talia took the tablet back from Deeks, pressing a few more buttons.

"I'll let Eric and Nell know what's going on." Kensi stepped away, taking her phone out and placing the call.

A few minutes later, Eric and Nell were on the TV in front of them all. Nell pulled up a video showing Mateo at the Westlake Septic Service two days prior. What was disturbing was that the truck had been seen at a gas station, using a large hose to fill up the tank with gas and hadn't been seen since.

Deeks instructed Eric and Nell to track all trucks from Westlake Septic Service and then switched over to the intercom in the interrogation room.

"Sam, Callen, step out when you have a minute." Things were getting serious now, and no one had a good feeling about it.

They all stood there, deciding what to do next. Eric and Nell let them know that the USS Iowa was having their anniversary festival today with an estimated five thousand guests, making it the perfect target.

"Group that size is going to need a lot of Port-O-Potties." Callen was dead serious.

"And a septic truck passes right through security." Deeks was catching onto what was happening.

"Pretends to service the restrooms." Talia was picturing this as they were talking.

"The blast and the fireball take out the guests and the crew." Sam was feeling slightly sick.

"Let's do this." Kensi knew it was time to save the world once again.

Hetty walked into the boat shed, and let everyone know the plan.

"Mr. Callen, Mr. Hannah, you will be in charge of disabling the septic truck. Mr. Beale and Ms. Jones will help with that using the red lights. Mr. Deeks, Ms. Del Campo, you will be a distraction. I've contacted some friends with the Department of Transportation, and they have agreed to let us use some of their equipment. Ms. Blye, you will be at the USS Iowa, in case they get through."

All of them stood there talking for a minute, formulating the plan. The team was just about to break up and get the plan going when Deeks pulled Kensi aside.

"You good?" Deeks looked at her, watching her face.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just don't get any ideas about meeting Talia for margarita's later. You and I have a previous engagement to get back to." She winked at him, letting him know she really was okay, making Deeks chuckle.

"Why would I want her – or any other woman in the world – when I have you?" He grinned at her, his eyes lighting up.

"Although, margarita's sound really good right now. As long as it's with you, in my bed, naked. Just sayin." Kensi playfully hit his arm.

"I think something can be arranged." She smiled at him, and was about to lean in to kiss him when her favorite person came around the corner.

Talia stood there watching them for a minute. She hadn't heard anything, and there was nothing inappropriate about how they were standing, but she suddenly felt like she was interrupting something private.

"Sorry. You um, ready Deeks?" She nodded her head, letting him know it was time to get the ball rollin'.

"Yeah, let's go." He turned back towards Kensi. "Be careful out there. I'll see you back here in a little bit. We will have comms going, so if something happens…"

"Nothing is going to happen. Remember what's waiting." She winked at him, making him smile and she was happy with the desired effect.

* * *

"Kens, you read me?" Deeks was sitting at the corner, jack hammer in hand and Talia standing next to him. Sam and Callen were in the van across the street, ready for this to happen when the truck arrived.

"Loud and clear. How's it going over there?" Deeks looked around.

"Just standing around. You know, the usual." He grinned at Talia.

"Yeah, don't I know it. Lazy ass. Always making everyone else do the work." He could hear the smile in her voice.

"Hey now, I'm going to be operating a heavy piece of machinery soon. That's hot, right?" Talia smiled at him, but that's not what he was looking for.

"Yeah, if you're into that sort of thing." He could hear Kensi breathing kind of heavy, picturing her walking around getting to where she needed to be.

"Which I know you are."

"You know nothing. Okay, I'm in position. Keep me posted on what happens."

"Copy that Kens." Deeks was always trying to have the last word and she smiled a little.

Kensi was standing near the entrance, waiting for any sign that the original plan had failed. As she was scanning the cars, she put her hand in her back pocket, feeling a piece of paper.

_To My Girl –_

_This new Kensi I saw today, she's pretty damn hot. Not that you weren't before, but smugness looks good on you. And thanks for the save earlier. Low blow Kensalina, I'll remember that next time you_ _think I'm going to come in and rescue you from a guy who won't leave you alone. I love you. Smile Sunshine! - D_

It wasn't much, but it made her laugh as she remembered when she had first walked into the boat shed and Talia had literally thrown herself at him. She quickly put the paper back in her pocket, getting back to business and looking around. She hadn't heard from the in last few minutes, and she was starting to get a bad feeling.

"Guys, anyone read me?" She waited a moment. "Callen? Sam? Deeks, this isn't funny." Nothing. _Well, damn. _She stayed where she was and would wait to see what happened.

Back at the light, Eric let them know it was show time. The truck came to a stop next to Talia and Deeks, and after confirming the truck was loaded down with explosives, Deeks got the sign to start the jack hammer. He was getting his brain jarred around while Sam took the shot from the back of the van, putting a hole in the radiator. As soon as the light turned green and the truck drove off, Deeks hurried to turn of the machine and jump in the car.

They followed Mateo and the septic truck to a parking lot next to the USS Iowa, watching as smoke billowed out from under the hood. Sam and Callen raced ahead, pulling in front of it as Deeks and Talia parked further away, in case they took off.

Sam got out next to the stopped truck, pretending to want to help them out. He then pulled his gun out, pointing it at them.

"Federal Agents. Put the guns down." But of course, the bad guys had other ideas. Instead of putting the guns down they started firing. Sam took out the guy who came out of nowhere. Callen shot the driver as Mateo took off running, Callen following.

"Coming your way Deeks. Watch for car-jacking."

Sam immediately bent down, trying to figure out how to disable to the bomb before it blew.

Mateo kept running, turning around and taking a shot at Callen as Deeks and Talia made their way towards them. Suddenly, Mateo was next to a car, pulling the woman out and using her as a hostage. No one had a clear shot, and Deeks made his way around the front of the parked cars as Callen yelled for Sam to get out of there.

Deeks, having made is way to the front of the cars, took a shot, hitting Mateo just as the septic truck exploded.

"Shooter down!" They all got down as the fireball lit up the sky. Once it was down and Sam's car came into view, Callen looked over.

"Lucky shot there, Deeks." He wouldn't admit it outright, but Callen was impressed.

"Thanks brother." Deeks gave a half smile while Callen turned towards his partner.

"Sam, you good?"

"I'm good."

Kensi looked over just in time to see the explosion and her heart stopped. _Deeks._ She tried the comms again.

"Deeks? Deeks god damn it, you better answer me right now!" She was trying to stay calm, but the panic was setting in. People around her were giving her funny looks but she didn't care. She took off running full speed, determined to find out what was going on.

As she rounded the corner, she saw the guys leaning over a car, guns still out but their posture showed the danger was over.

"Deeks!" Kensi screamed at him, not aware if he could hear her or not. She screamed it again as she ran, and he turned. He put his gun back and opened his arms as Kensi came barreling towards him.

"What the hell Deeks?!" He held onto her, letting her get the comfort she needed right then.

"As much as I am loving the little reunion here, why didn't you use comms Kensi?" Callen was trying to put the pieces together. Kensi pulled back a minute later, looking at their team leader.

"Mine stopped working as soon as the truck pulled to a stop at the light. I had no way of knowing what was going on until I looked over at the fire in the sky here. So, back up came running." She smiled, glad that everyone was okay.

"Jesus Sam, what the hell happened to your car?" Kensi's jaw almost hit the ground as she saw the shape his precious car was in.

"I don't want to talk about it right now." Callen chuckled, seeing the look of horror on his friend's face while he took in the damage.

Deeks decided he needed to do what he did best – be funny.

"Hey, how about we go the Iowa festivities?" He smiled, making Kensi and Callen laugh.

"Yeah, that's just what I need right now, a churro." Sam was not appreciating Deeks's attempts at lightening the mood, and his glare told them all to go to hell.

Talia just stood there, watching the interaction. She watched as Sam cursed everybody around as he walked around the car, knowing it was beyond repair. Callen stood next to him, watching him and making ornery comments every now and then. She then turned her attention to the other set of partners.

Deeks had taken Kensi's hand in his and was pushing some hair behind her ear. _Well, I kind of figured they had a thing. _She couldn't fault them for this, she just knew how it was going to turn out – badly.

"So, I guess this means no margarita's later, huh?" Deeks just laughed, looking at Kensi. She was watching Talia's face, still seeing something in her eyes she wasn't happy with.

With a determined glint in her eye, Kensi pulled her hand out of Deeks's and started to unlatch her necklace. Knowing what she was doing, Deeks got behind her.

"Allow me," he whispered in her ear. Talia narrowed her eyes at Kensi, wondering what they were doing. When Deeks got the necklace off, Talia caught a glimpse of what was hanging from it. A beautiful diamond ring. An engagement ring.

She wanted to look away, but she couldn't. Suddenly, everything that had happened between the three of them made sense. Deeks took the ring off the chain and slipped it onto Kensi's finger.

"There, right where it needs to be." Kensi wrapped her arms around him again, still not used to the feel of having a ring on, but loving it.

Talia cleared her throat. "I wish you both nothing but happiness. It's not easy, partners and then something more, but you two, well, you work well together. I don't know either of you that well, but I think it's going to work out. Good luck." She smiled, truly meaning her words to them.

* * *

Kensi and Deeks had given Talia a ride back to the fish market so she could pick up her stuff. They held hands on the way back to OPS. Deeks was driving and he was playing with her ring.

"I love you Kens. You are it for me, you know that right?" He glanced over at her.

"Yeah, I know. You're it for me, too." She smiled at him, knowing sometimes the simplest things said the most.

When they arrived back at the mission, Sam and Callen were standing there talking about how Talia had hooked them up with their own personal sushi chef.

"You guys, you have to come." Sam had a look of utter joy on his face, apparently now over the destruction of his Charger.

Kensi and Deeks looked at each other, reading the other's mind.

"I think we are going to pass tonight. I have a night full of margarita's, bed, and –"

"Do NOT finish that sentence Deeks. You two may be getting married, but she's still my sister." Callen narrowed his eyes at him but Deeks just laughed.

"I was going to say sleep. We ended up sleeping on the beach last night, and are exhausted right now. Why, what did you think I was going to say?" Deeks wiggled his eyebrows at him, laughing. Kensi just smacked his arm, grabbed his hand, and started pulling him out of the mission.

"Bye guys. Have fun tonight." She called over her shoulder, wanting nothing more than to be at home right now.

"So, is the plan still on?" He tilted his head to the side, looking at her.

"If you mean alcohol, nakedness and Kama Sutra – yes." His eyes got big.

"Wow, okay. This is happening. I feel like I need to do some stretching first or something." Kensi laughed at him.

"Don't worry, I'll go easy on you." She leaned over the console of the car, kissing him. He put his hand behind her head, savoring the taste of her, knowing he would never get enough of it.

* * *

_AN - I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Please, leave a review and let me know. :)_


	23. Chapter 23

_Wow, who knew this story would be going for so long?! _

_HUGE thanks you justareader07 for the idea for this chapter and bookdiva for being amazing and looking it over for me._

_Disclaimer - nope...still not mine._

* * *

Deeks was usually a patient man - especially when it came to his fiancé – but he was quickly getting frustrated. It had been 3 weeks since she had said yes, and today he was supposed to get fully cleared to go back into the field. Yes, he had been involved with the case involving undercover DEA Agent Talia Del Campo, and the shootout at the end of the day had left him physically weak and sore for days afterwards – not to mention the ass chewing he received from Hetty later that night – but today would make it official. He was feeling much better since his shooting, and he knew he owed a lot of the healing to his beautiful soon-to-be wife. However, said woman was taking entirely too long to get ready this morning, and he had a meeting with Nate that he didn't want to be late for.

He knocked on the bathroom door, trying to keep his voice light.

"My sweet, if you don't hurry up in there, I'm going to come in and –"before he could finish the sentence, the door opened and Kensi appeared. Deeks let out a sigh, thankful she was ready.

"What, you think I'd make you late today? You have no faith in me, Deeks. None. Zero. Zip. Nada." She quickly pushed past him, rubbing up against him as she walked by making him groan.

"Kens, that's not nice." He eyed the sway in her hips as she walked away, grabbing her socks and shoes and slipping them on.

"What did I do?" She looked at him, feigning innocence.

"You know exactly what you did you temptress. And If I didn't have an appointment to make, I don't think we would be making it to work on time today." He walked up to her, kissing her hard and quick, leaving both of them wanting more.

"Come on sweet cake, let's get this show on the road." She raised her eyebrows at yet another nickname but let it slide. She may act like she didn't like his little pet names, but secretly she adored it—adored everything about him.

She was halfway to the front door when she realized Deeks wasn't behind her. She turned and walked back to their bedroom, seeing him sitting on the bed.

"Hey babe. What's going on? Thought we had to hurry so we weren't late?" She was trying to keep her voice light, but she saw the concern on his face.

She sat down next to him, taking his hand in hers and twining their fingers together. She waited for a moment and then laid her head on his shoulder. He turned, pressing a kiss into her hair.

"We never really talked about what happened when I got shot, Kens. It just hit me that I should have talked about it with you before talking with Nate. I guess I was just waiting for you to bring it up first." He laid his head on hers, squeezing her hand.

"I was there Deeks. I saw what happened. I don't really know what you were thinking going up to her without your gun out, but I guess I just… well I figured you would tell me when you were ready. I didn't want to push you on it. I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about Princess. I uh – well… See –"he took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts.

"I knew that if you got to her first, it wouldn't end pretty. As much as you hate to hear this, Nicole and I had a history. I'm not proud of it, especially now, but I was counting on her remembering that and getting her to see reason. But when I saw the gun, I knew I only had a short amount of time before she took the shot. Because the look in her eyes? It's been a long time since someone has looked at me with that amount of hatred… not since my dad. So I tried stalling her to give you time. Obviously that didn't work." He took his free hand, subconsciously rubbing his old wound.

She lifted her head and looked at him.

"I wasn't going to hurt her… _much_." She saw his mouth lift a little and getting the reaction she was hoping for, she continued. "Seriously though. I wanted the OP done with, and getting her away from you was my priority. It's my job to have your back, and when I heard you tell her to put the gun down, I froze. I went from wanting to hurt her to wanting to kill her."

Kensi got off the bed and knelt in front of him, taking his face in her hands and stroking his jaw with her thumbs. She waited until his eyes were locked on hers.

"The second she shot you, my heart stopped. My life – our life – flashed before my eyes. No matter how cliché that sounds, I saw it all. Our wedding, our kids, birthday parties, graduations, weddings, grand-babies. And I knew that none of that stuff mattered without you. I love you Deeks, more than life itself." She brought her lips to his, thankful that he was alive. She still had nightmares about it, and she knew he did too, but even with that knowledge they had never talked about it.

"I can tell you it wasn't one of my smartest moves, walking up to her without my gun out. But I really thought her seeing it would do more harm than good. Not the first time I've been wrong." Kensi snorted.

"Yeah, I'll say." He laughed, feeling the tension leave his shoulders.

"I love you Kensi Blye. Forever. I'm glad her aim sucks, because a lifetime with you is just the beginning." He brought their lips together again, enjoying the sigh the escaped her.

They pulled back, reluctantly standing together. She grabbed his hand and started walking to the door.

"Come on. Let's go get my partner back." He swatted her butt as they walked towards the door, making her laugh. They had some more to talk about regarding that day, but Deeks felt better about his discussion with Nate now.

* * *

They were all sitting at their desks, laughing and joking trying to pass the time. Callen and Sam were playing desk basketball, the "hoop" set up between the desks as Kensi and Deeks picked teams and did their best to distract the opponent.

Just as Callen made a shot, Kensi jumped out of chair. Everyone stopped and looked, watching as she flung her arms around Nate. They all laughed at the surprised look on his face before he hugged her back laughing.

"Hey Kens." She pulled back, smiling.

"Well hey stranger." She eyed him a little. "Gonna have to say, the whole 'International Man of Mystery' look… it looks good on you." Everyone laughed as they came up, shaking his hand.

"Do I need to be worried? I mean, I can do the mystery look too you know." Deeks walked up to Kensi, bumping her shoulder.

"I'm pretty sure the only look you can do is the shaggy surfer." Sam just couldn't resist, making everyone laugh.

Nate stood back, watching the group. He remembered, before Deeks came on, how quiet everyone would be. There was jokes and laughter, yes, but this camaraderie that they had now since Deeks joined, it was enlightening. He also saw the way Kensi and Deeks looked at each other. _Well, that's interesting. Wonder if anything ever came of that little 'relationship.'_

Nate was brought out of his thoughts by Sam slapping his shoulder.

"How long you in town for, Nate?" They all looked at him.

"Just today, really." He watched as all of their faces fell a little.

"So, I guess I'm the lucky one today, huh? Brought you back from the Republic of None-Of-Our-Damn-Business just to talk to me. Wow, I'm feeling kind of special right now." Kensi elbowed him.

"You can probably stop talking now Deeks." She smiled at him, taking some of the sting out of her words and turned back to Nate.

"Well, if you aren't here for long, we should go out for dinner and drinks tonight." Everyone nodded, and Nate agreed.

"So Detective, maybe we should get this started?" He looked over at Deeks, noting the confused looks on everyone's face.

"What?" He looked at each one of them before turning back to Deeks, who coughed.

"It's uh, it's not Detective anymore. I'm an agent now. Wow, I wonder what else Hetty forgot to mention." He was mentally wondering how Nate would react to the news that he and Kensi were not only dating, but engaged now. Kensi didn't wear her ring at work, opting to have it on the chain around her neck, so Nate wouldn't have seen it. _Yep, this should be interesting._

Nate nodded, clearly surprised at this turn of events. "Oh, okay, well Agent Deeks, let's go to my office so we can talk." He waved at the others and started making his way to his old office.

As they walked in and closed the door, Deeks looked around.

"Man, Hetty keeps this up for you pretty well, huh? I was worried about dust bunnies and sneezing, but there's none of that in here." Deeks was actually pretty impressed, but at the same time he thought maybe he shouldn't be. It was Hetty, after all.

"Yeah, she tends to have it ready for me when I come home. Doesn't matter if it's for a day or a month." He smiled at Deeks, and Deeks nodded at him.

"So, where do you want to start Nate?" Deeks tilted his head to the side, watching him. It's not that he didn't _want_ to talk about it with him, he was just ready for the whole thing to be over with.

"Start at the beginning. Tell me what happened the day you were shot." Deeks leaned back in his chair, hand folded over his stomach.

Nate sat there, listening to Deeks rehash exactly what happened that day. It wasn't until he started talking about getting shot by Nicole that his demeanor changed. Nate noted that the story changed from Deeks's perspective to Kensi's, and how he could only imagine what that must have felt like for her to watch. As Deeks finished the story, ending it when he got out of the hospital, Nate looked at him.

"It sounds like you have a good grasp on what happened, not really regretting any of the actions that were made that day. But I can't help but notice the change that came over you when you brought up Kensi. Tell me, what makes your partnership different then say, Callen and Sam's?"

Deeks looked at him for a minute before answering. "It's a love story." Nate almost choked. He had been prepared for a number of answers, but that wasn't one of them.

"A love story, huh? Does she know that?" Deeks chuckled a little.

"Man, Nate, you really need to come home more often. You've missed a lot since you've been gone." Nate laughed a little with him, in complete agreement.

"So I take you two are together now?" Nate looked at him, watching as he started nodding his head.

"Yeah, you could say that." Deeks squinted his eyes at Nate, laughter coming out at the confusion on Nate's face.

"What do you mean?"

"Ask her about her necklace when we leave here. It might make more sense." Nate looked at him and raised his eyebrows.

"Okay, I'll do that. But, in saying that and knowing something is going on there, how are the two of you doing at working together now?" Now it was time for Nate to get control of the conversation again.

"It was rough at the beginning. We definitely had some things to work out partnership wise and how to function. But I think now it's going much better. I just…" Deeks trailed off, looking at the man in front of him.

"Our reactions now, it scares me a little. Because I know that no matter what, I'm going to do what I have to do to keep her safe. That doesn't bother me, because that's always been my main goal. But now... now I know she will do the exact same thing. Her getting hurt - possible killed – trying to protect me? It's hard to stomach sometimes." Nate nodded at him.

"Do you think that's a problem in the field? Is it getting in the way of the mission?" Deeks's answer was instant.

"No, we are always focused on the mission."

"Then I don't see anything different between the past and the present. Whether you want to admit this to yourself or not, your safety has always been her top priority, just as hers has always been yours." Deeks let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"Wow I uh… I guess I never really thought about it like that." Deeks brought his hand up to his neck and rubbed it.

"If you think your judgment, or hers, is clouded, you could always talk to Hetty about switching partners for a while." He watched as Deeks's face almost took a hard look to it.

"No, that's not really an option. She's my partner; I'm hers. We trust each other explicitly. No need to change things up now." Deeks forced a smile to his face, worried now that Nate might make that exact suggestion to Hetty.

"Deeks, calm down. I'm not going to be switching anything up. It seems to me that you two figured out your thing and have found a way to make it work. I'm happy for you guys, really." He smiled at the other man, watching his body relax.

"So, does that mean I'm cleared for duty?" He couldn't keep the apprehension out his voice.

"Yeah Deeks, you're cleared for duty. Now, it seems I have a necklace to ask about." But Deeks didn't hear that part, already getting up and running out the door, yelling Kensi's name.

Nate made it out in time to see Deeks pick her up and kiss her quickly before putting her down, getting hit in the arm for his antics. But he also saw the way Kensi blushed a little, and the happiness that almost radiated off of her. He made his way down to the team, listening as a very happy Deeks let everyone know he was fully cleared now.

Nate put his hip onto Kensi's desk, looking at her.

"So, I hear that there's something on that necklace there that will answer some of my questions." Callen stopped what he was doing, as did Sam and Deeks, and watched as Kensi pulled the ring out from under her shirt. Nate's jaw dropped, unable to speak for a few minutes.

"Wow, that's uh… wow, Kens. Congratulations." He pulled her up and to him, hugging her. She hugged him back and then pulled away.

"Seriously, Hetty needs to bring me back more often. Have you set a date yet?" Kensi and Deeks made eye contact before she looked back at him.

"Not yet, but we don't really want it to be too long, so. I'll make sure Hetty gets you home for it. It wouldn't be complete without you there." He squeezed her arm, glad that she still thought of him as part of the family.

Callen broke the momentary silence. "Hey, I remember talk about dinner and drinks." He looked at this watch. "I mean, it's only noon but…" Hetty walked up and Callen stopped talking.

"I hear congratulations are in order Mr. Deeks. It's good to hear you are cleared for field duty now. And in the spirit of happiness, I say we all take the rest of the day off and enjoy the little time we have with Mr. Getz." They all agreed, grabbing their stuff and heading out the mission, glad to be done with work for the day.

* * *

When Deeks woke up Saturday morning, he instantly knew something was wrong. One, because his alarm was going off on the weekend. Two, there should be a very naked woman in his bed with him and the sheets were cold next to him.

He glanced at the clock as he rolled over, turning the alarm off and noting it was 6:00am. He saw a note next to a cup of coffee. Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes and grabbed the note, taking a sip of the still hot coffee.

_Good Morning Handsome!_

_We have a big day ahead of us. Drink your coffee, there's some breakfast for you in the kitchen, and get dressed. Wear something comfortable. I may or may not have a surprise for you. There will be a knock on the door at 7:00am. Be ready to go by then. I love you to the moon and back. Smile Sunshine! - Your Wonder Woman_

He smiled to himself, taking another sip of the coffee. She had planned something for them, and he couldn't wait to find out what it was. Finishing the coffee, he hopped in the shower quickly and dressed in jeans and a blue V-neck t-shirt and put his socks and shoes on. He grabbed his brown leather jacket just in case and started for the door.

As he was opening the bedroom door, he noticed a piece of paper that had an arrow pointing down. He opened the door and looked down, noticing a train on its tracks. He knew, at this time, his grin couldn't get any larger.

He leaned down, fingering it for a second and noting the different cars. He pushed a button on the engine car and watched in fascination as the mini-train started to move. He followed it down the hallway and watched as it looped around the kitchen table and into the living room. The track was set up so that once it reached a certain point, it would continue the course through the kitchen and living room. Deeks looked at it, glad to see a timer so it would automatically turn off after being on so long. Knowing him, he could sit at watch it for hours and it would end up running all night.

He watched for a few minutes as it navigated its way around the apartment. He looked at the table, and noticed a plate full of kolaches. He grabbed a few and put them in the microwave for a few seconds before pulling them out and taking a bite. He smiled to himself as he remembered the rather heated argument between Sam and Callen on whether the proper term was 'pigs in a blanket' or 'kolache.'

Deeks sat at the table, enjoying his second cup of coffee and finishing his breakfast. He looked at his watch and noted it was almost 7am. He put his cup in the sink, put the rest of the kolache's in a bag and put them in the fridge and waited. As soon as the knock came, he turned the train off and opened the door.

There, standing before him, was Callen. Deeks smirked at him, eyebrows raised in silent question.

"You don't want to know. That woman of yours has some serious powers of persuasion. I agreed to this and she didn't even have to say a word. Good luck Deeks. She's good." Deeks couldn't stop laughing at the amazed look on Callen's face.

"Tell me about it man. I couldn't understand more." The two gave each other knowing looks.

"So uh… what's supposed to happen now?" Deeks raised his eyebrows at him and Callen snapped to attention.

"Come on." Callen turned, walking towards his car. When they both got in, Callen handed him a blindfold.

"Put it on, or risk her wrath." Deeks nodded, knowing her wrath wasn't worth not putting on the damn mask. He sighed as he got it tied and Callen waved his hands in front of Deeks's face, making sure he couldn't see anything. Before he started to drive, he turned on the recorder.

"So Deeks. You guys start planning the wedding yet?" Deeks smiled at the question.

"Not really. I know she's been talking to Nell and her mom, but nothing has been set yet."

"Did you ever think, when you two first met in that gym, that you would end up here?" Deeks thought for a moment.

"Honestly? No. I know I fell in love with her almost instantly. Her fiery temper and lack of humor made it a challenge, but the more she opened up, the harder I fell. Before I knew it, I was a goner, no turning back. We have had some trying times, and I know we will have more, but everything that's happened has led us here, and I wouldn't change anything about it."

"What do you love most about her?" Callen glanced over, knowing Deeks couldn't see him but watching his facial expression. The smile on his face made Callen's heart happy, knowing his baby sister couldn't have found a more perfect person to spend her life with.

"Her sugar addiction, her maniacal laugh, her loyalty, her sense of humor that's come so far." They both laughed at that. "She's the bravest person I know. Her fearlessness. The way she's let herself be more of a woman when she's not at work. I love that she can be Bad Ass Blye one minute and soft and gentle the next. I love how snarky she can be, and that her quips back can leave me speechless." He turned his head towards Callen.

"Everything. I love everything about that stubborn, hard headed, beautiful woman." Callen nodded his head before he remembered Deeks couldn't see him.

"Good." Deeks tilted his head to the side, wondering at Callen's comment.

"Good?"

"Good. I couldn't let her go to someone who didn't love everything." Deeks smiled at Callen's words, knowing the man who was her big brother was doing nothing more than looking out for her.

A few minutes later, Callen maneuvered his car up to the curb. Putting the car in park, he turned his body towards Deeks.

"Okay man. This is the end of the line for me."

"It's uh… safe to take this off, right?" He had made a move to remove the offending appendage covering his eyes.

"Nope. That stays on." Deeks sighed and pouted a little, making Callen laugh. The car door opened, and Deeks undid his seatbelt.

"So who gets to be handsy now?" Deeks tried throwing out his best smile before he felt familiar lips on his. He reached up slowly, taking her face in his hands.

"Okay, seriously? You two can knock that off now." Callen made a gagging noise, causing both partners to start laughing.

"Thanks Callen. I've got it from here." She helped Deeks out of the car, making sure he didn't trip on the curb.

"God I hope so. I didn't sign up for any of that mushy stuff." He smirked at her, making her laugh.

"Oh shut it." She stuck her tongue out at him. "Thank you Callen." She gave him a smile.

"Anything for you, Kens. You kids have fun." She nodded, closing the door and watching him drive away. Deeks cleared his throat, wondering how long he was going to have to stand here blindfolded.

"So hey Princess. What's going on here?" He may trust her with literally everything, but that didn't stop the nerves from creeping up, not knowing what was going on.

"It's a surprise my love. Now, take my hand and follow my lead. I promise I won't run you into anything. On purpose, anyway." She snickered at him, making him gulp.

"Trust me." She whispered it into his ear, making him shiver.

"With everything." His simple response, said so quickly, made her smile and caused her heart to beat a little faster.

She took his hand, and used her other hand to grab his bicep, slowly guiding him to their destination. She had already paid for their tickets, and she smiled at the girl at the counter, putting her finger to her lips, making the girl smile.

Deeks was using other senses to try and give him clues. He heard people talking, kids laughing. He smelled… something, but he couldn't figure it out. His feet were met with a regular floor, not giving anything away.

A few minutes later, Kensi had them at their gate. Just as she stopped them and was taking the blindfold off, one of the trains let off their whistle.

The look of absolute joy on his face was priceless. He looked around, seeing the different trains coming and going.

"Kens… what… why are we at Union Station?" He couldn't believe it.

"And you say you used to be a Detective." She smiled at him, mesmerized by the stars in his eyes.

"You and I are taking a little trip. In fact, it's time to board our train, Mr. Deeks." He turned to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and picking her up and twirling her around.

"This is absolutely perfect Fern. Thank you." He captured her lips with his, gently kissing her. The shrill of another whistle brought them back to the present, and he grabbed her hand again, squeezing it.

"Lead the way Miss." She laughed, pulling him along. She gave them their tickets and they got on the train. The look of wonderment on Deeks's face was not something she would ever forget, and this was only the beginning.

The found their seats, hands still entwined. There were couples sitting around them, a few families.

"So Kensalina. Where are we headed?" The moment the words left his mouth, the conductor came over the loud speaker.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen, and welcome aboard the Santa Barbara Vino Train. We will be departing the station in about 5 minutes. Once we are on our way, please feel free to make your way to the dining car, where there is a breakfast buffet available. We will be pulling into Santa Barbara at 10:19am. At that time, you can either join us on a wine tasting tour or explore on your own. There are plenty of attractions to see around the area. At 4:35pm, we will be departing Santa Barbara to make our way back home. Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the trip folks."

Deeks's smile couldn't get any bigger as he looked around, taking in the surroundings and committing everything to memory. Kensi just sat back, enjoying the look on his face.

"So, you like it so far?" Deeks turned to her, not sure if he could put his happiness into words right now.

"Kens, it's… it's the most perfect thing anyone has ever done for me." He put his forehead to hers, silently thanking her again. She brought her free hand up, cupping his cheek.

"You deserve the world Deeks. After everything you've done for me, this is the least I could do." He smiled at her, kissing her nose.

"If I deserve the world, so do you. Because you _are_ my world." He kissed her again, putting all the love and gratitude he could into it.

The train whistle blew again, and they pulled back, sighing a little. They sat there, feeling the train start to move. Deeks looked out window, watching as they pulled away from station. They both sat in silence for a while, watching the city pass them by and the country coming to meet them. Suddenly, Kensi's stomach rumbled.

"I guess that means it's time to feed the monster." Deeks chuckled at her, realizing she probably hadn't had much to eat that day.

"I could use a little something." She stood up, following Deeks through the different cars until they made it to the dining car. She piled her plate with Belgium waffles, sausage and eggs before filling a cup with coffee. Deeks opted for some fruit, but took her lead and filled his cup with coffee as well. They made their way to a table and Deeks started laughing.

"Whasofunny?" She had her mouth stuffed with food and she couldn't even make a sentence.

"Just watching the look of horror on the other people's faces. Don't worry Fern, I think it's cute." Just to spite him, she took another large forkful of waffle and managed to stuff it in, making Deeks throw back his head in laughter.

"So much class Kens. So much. It amazes me sometimes." If there hadn't been kids around, she would have shown him her middle finger. Instead she opted for the always true punch to the arm.

After breakfast was done, she daintily wiped her mouth, smirking at him.

"Look here babe. It's a little late to be trying the proper eating etiquette. But props for at least knowing how to wipe your mouth." She winked at him before throwing her napkin down. A porter walked up to their table just then.

"Excuse me, Ms. Blye?" She nodded at him. "That's me."

"Would you follow me, please?"

"Oh, okay, sure." They both got up and followed the man.

"I bet someone complained about the animal they let in the dining car."

"Shut up Deeks." She glared at him, but the amused look on his face made her smile. Deeks's face took on the look of confusion when he realized they were walking to the front of the train. He looked at his fiancé, the silent question in his eyes. Kensi just shrugged her shoulders at him and continued to follow.

As they entered the final car, Deeks stopped and stared. They had been brought the engine car, and he looked around in amazement at the operating systems.

"Good morning Ms. Blye, Mr. Deeks. Welcome aboard. I'm John Steele." The driver smiled at them, noting the child like happiness on the man's face. Kensi could see that Deeks wasn't able to speak quite yet and took control.

"Good Morning Mr. Steele. Thank you so much for having us." She gave him a kind smile, carefully bumping Deeks's shoulder to bring him back to the present.

"Uh, sorry. Yeah, hi. Good morning sir. You're like… a real conductor." He was starting to ramble but couldn't make it stop. He had always been fascinated by trains, and Kensi taking him on a train ride was absolutely amazing. But this? This was the icing on the cake.

The man laughed at the wordage and nodded.

"Well, we are called railroad engineers now, but conductor just sounds fun, don't you think?" Deeks smiled, nodding at him.

"Why don't you sit down?" He gestured to the empty seat next to him, and Deeks almost squealed. He rubbed his hands together before sitting down.

As Mr. Steele explained the different controls and how things had changed since he started driving trains 30 years ago, Kensi watched in utter fascination as Deeks asked questions and made comments. She knew he liked trains, but she had no idea he knew this much about them.

As Mr. Steele pointed out how the train operated, he offered to let Deeks take over for a while.

"Are you serious?" He couldn't take it, he had no idea his heart could be this happy.

"Go for it. I'm right here if you need me." In all his years of doing this, he had never had such an eager co-pilot. He knew this was the reason he did this job, because for some people, this small act would never be forgotten.

Deeks put his hands on the steering wheel, knowing that while the train basically drove itself, he could now say he had been in control of one.

Kensi had never seen Deeks this happy. As soon as his hands took over, he face morphed into seriousness. She saw him put his tongue to his top lip in concentration and his mind shift from playful adoration to a man on a mission.

He "drove" the train for about 15 minutes, Mr. Steele giving him instructions every so often before finally giving back the controls.

They all sat there and chatted a few more minutes and as they were about to take their leave, Mr. Steele pulled out a blue and white checkered conductors hat, handing it to Deeks.

"You've definitely earned this." Deeks put the hat on, laughing.

"Thank you so much Mr. Steele. This is an experience I will hold onto forever." He shook the man's hand, conveying with his eyes the appreciation he had for him.

"Anytime young man. I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip." He smiled at Kensi, shaking her hand as well.

"Thank you Mr. Steele." He nodded at her, and watched as the man grabbed the woman's hand, kissing her cheek as they walked out.

They made it back to their seats and sat down.

"You are the most amazing woman that ever lived, you know that right?" He had no idea how he had gotten this lucky, but he wasn't going to start questioning it now.

"Well, you aren't so bad yourself there Mr. Conductor Man. You going to take that hat off today?" She used her finger to touch the front of it.

"Nope. You'll be lucky to get it off of me for the rest of the month." She smirked at him.

"Hmmmm… naked wearing nothing but the hat. Yeah, I think I can work with that." He laughed, feeling himself blushing.

"You never cease to amaze me, woman." He kissed her again, thanking her in the most natural way he knew how.

"So I take it the trip so far is a success?" she asked after they pulled away a little.

"Success is an understatement. This is perfection." She smiled at him, and they both leaned back, watching the scenery and getting their fill of each other.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Santa Barbara. In about 10 minutes, we will be pulling up to the train station. If you are going to partake in the wine tasting, please wait by the front steps. For everyone else who plans on exploring this beautiful city on your own, we hope you have a great time. We just ask that you keep note of the time as the train will be departing at 4:35pm."

True to this word, 10 minutes later they pulled into the train station. As they got off, Deeks looked over at Kensi, realizing he had no idea what they were going to do next.

"So –" he cleared his throat. "Wine tasting or adventure alone?" He raised his eyebrow at her.

"What do you think?" She threw the look right back at him.

"Adventure time it is. Come on Sugarbear. Let's see what kinds of mischief we can get into without getting arrested." He started pulling her along, making their way through the crowds of people.

"You take all the fun out of it sometimes." Kensi pretended to pout, making Deeks laugh.

"Trust me, getting arrested isn't on our list of fun." They made their way outside, grabbing a brochure for the local attractions.

Scanning it over, they both looked up at each other, smiling and said at the exact same time: "Zoo." They hailed a taxi, unsure of the distance between the train station and the zoo.

As soon as they got there and paid for the admissions, they started exploring. They held hands the entire time, both laughing like children at the monkeys and Deeks's stance at the lion's cage.

"What do you think Kens? I am the jungle cat, after all." She snorted at him.

"Deeks, you do realize that an actual jungle cat isn't a lion or a cougar or whatever else you can come up with. It's a medium-sized cat native to Asia and west to the Nile Valley. It's got a small tuft of hair on the ears and can be called the jungle lynx, but it's not actually a member of the lynx family."

Deeks just stared at her for a minute.

"Okay Wikipedia. And you say I take all the fun out of things." She just stared at him.

"What?" She didn't understand what the big deal was.

"Nothing babe. Nothing at all. Oh look, elephants!" He started dragging her over to the next exhibit, effectively leaving the jungle cat business behind them.

A little while later, they were standing there, studying the hippo's, when Deeks looked at her.

"So, when do you think we should call Ray? I mean, it seems like our thing has worked out." Kensi thought for a moment. She was surprised she hadn't thought of that before.

"Tomorrow. He needs to know." Deeks nodded at her, glad she on board with the idea.

Once they finished with the zoo, they decided to head to Stearn's Wharf. They grabbed some lunch and walked the pier, looking at all the sights around them. Once they were done, Deeks turned to her, waiting to see what else they were going to do.

"Okay Mr. Adventure, we can either walk over and see the Ty Warner Sea Center or we can try our hand at parasailing. Your pick." He pretended to think about it for a minute, but they both knew what was next.

"I'm gonna have to go with parasailing." They walked over to the sign up area, making it just in time to catch the next boat out. The group they were with was relatively small, only three others making the trip. When they got to the wooden dock set up a ways from the pier, they were given instructions on how the harnesses worked and what exactly would happen.

Kensi and Deeks opted to go up together, making them the last ones to go. They watched as the other three people each went up and came down, making sure to take pictures for later. When it was their turn, they got their harnesses centered and waited until the boat took off, effectively lifting them up off the dock and into the air.

"Kensi, look." Deeks grabbed her hand, pointing at the dolphins jumping below them. They both laughed, taking in the scene below them. It was like they were flying, and both were loving every minute of it.

Five minutes later they landed. As soon as they were both unharnessed, Deeks turned to her, kissing her. Neither one of them could get enough of the other, and anyone looking at them could see they love they shared.

"That was incredible. We have to do that again when we get home." Kensi was all smiles, looking at him.

"Which part, the parasailing or the kissing? Because I'm gonna be honest Kensalina, I'm down for both." He smirked at her and she laughed.

"I swear Deeks, you have a one track mind." She looped her arm through his, bringing him close.

"What can I say? You have the most beautiful woman alive agree to marry me, and I can't think of much else _but_ kissing her." He kissed her head, emphasizing his point.

"So kissing is all you want to do?" She looked at him, eyebrows raised.

"Naked kissing. Yeah, I'm all for that. And you know, other stuff." She laughed, throwing her head back and Deeks swore there was nothing more beautiful than that.

Once they got back to the pier, they decided it was probably time to head back to the station. It was getting close to 3:30pm, and they didn't want to chance being late and missing their ride home.

As soon as they got there, they started walking around, looking into different shops. Deeks bought Kensi a necklace that instead of having a charm at the end, it had a figure eight attached, representing eternal love. Kensi smiled as he put it on, loving it and the man who was clasping it around her neck.

At the next shop, Kensi found a vintage railroad lantern and a heavy cast iron railroad crossing sign. Deeks had opted out going into this shop with her, seeing a surf shop across the street. Kensi made arrangements to have the railroad crossing sign shipped to their house and took the bag with the lantern in it and went in search of her other half.

She spotted him inside, talking to the man at the counter. When she walked up, she put her arm around him and leaned into him as she listened to him talk weather, surf reports, and the difference in the swells between here and Los Angeles.

She looked at her watch and seeing it was 4:15pm, decided to nudge this along or they were going to be late for the train home. She pushed her hip into his and tapped his side. Deeks looked at her and smiled, getting the hint. They said their goodbyes and walked out.

"Watcha got there Princess?" He pointed to the bag she was carrying.

"Oh, just something I thought would look good on the bookcase at home." When he went to reach for the bag to peak, she held it away from him. He saw the twinkle in her eyes and smirked.

"It's gonna be like that, huh? Don't forget sweetheart, I've been working out more, trained a little harder. Sam Hanna doesn't mess around. I _just might_ be faster than you." He issued the challenge, waiting to see if she would take the bait. He didn't have to wait long, and he wasn't disappointed.

She grabbed the bag, protecting the contents in her arms and took off, Deeks on her heels. She squealed in delight when he finally caught up to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and picking her up.

"Deeks, put me down. Right now." This wasn't the most comfortable position. Her back was against him and he had picked her up just enough that her feet couldn't touch the ground as he started walking towards the train station.

"Or what my little love monkey?" He kissed the side of her neck and continued walking. He knew if she started flaying her legs he was in trouble, but so far she wasn't putting up much of a fight.

"You won't get the other part of your surprise." Deeks managed to wrangle her around enough that he could slide his right arm under her more and swinging her up a little, now carrying her bridal style the rest of the way to the train.

"Really Deeks? You're going to carry me the entire way? People are looking." She looked around, noting the glances they were getting.

"Eh, they are just jealous. So uh, what's the other part of the surprise?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her making her scoff at him.

"Like I'm telling you now." She took her finger, running it down his chest. "But it might have involved wearing nothing but a conductor's hat." Before the words were out of her mouth, he set her on her feet.

"Oh my God, you are so easy." She laughed at him, pecking him on the lips.

"What can I say? You know the way to my heart." He gave her a lopsided grin and pinched her butt.

"Damn it Deeks. There's kids around." She really wanted to sound stern, but she failed miserably.

"No one saw that, I promise. I'm a super secret agent. I have skills." They climbed aboard the train, finding their seats.

"Agent – yes. Skills – eh. They're okay." She raised her shoulder at him and he laughed and leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"Oh, I have skills darlin'. Just wait until we get home." He kissed her ear and leaned back, enjoying the momentary look of passion on her face.

She leaned back into him and listened as Mr. Steele welcomed them back, letting them know that a buffet dinner was in the dining car and telling them to enjoy the trip home. Since they had eaten a late lunch, neither were that hungry right now, so they decided to just enjoy the quiet and each other's company. They watched as they rode by the ocean, the sun setting behind as Deeks sat there, playing with her hands.

The rest of the trip home was quiet. They were about 15 minutes away from Union Station when a thought struck Deeks.

"So, did you put that train set together at home?" He continued to run his hands lightly up and down her arms, waiting for her to answer.

"It took me two and a half hours and a few phone calls to Callen to get it put together. Did you like it?" She shifted around, looking at him.

"I have no words to tell you how perfect this whole day was, starting with the train set." She smiled, glad he had enjoyed it. She turned back around, leaning into his chest as his arms wrapped back around her waist, taking her hands in his.

As soon as the train pulled up and they departed, both were hungry, but also tired. They pulled into the drive through hamburger joint, each getting their usual.

As soon as they got home, they collapsed on the couch. Deeks went to the kitchen to get plates to put the food on and started the train up on his way back. They both sat there, watching the train as it made its way around the rooms. Kensi brought the bag up, giving it to Deeks.

"I thought you might like this." He put his plate down, taking the bag. He smiled when he opened, seeing the lantern.

"Kens, I don't have words. Thank you so much, it's perfect." He walked over the bookshelf and placed it alongside their things.

"There's something else coming in a few weeks. It was a little much to bring home with us, so…"she watched his face.

"What is it?" He took another bite of his hamburger, looking at her.

"You'll just have to wait and see." She smiled, stealing a fry.

"Hey, no ma'am, if you want food, you ask." He moved to the other end of the couch, protecting his food.

"Baby, can I please have a French fry?" She batted her eyes at him and he was gone. With a heavy sigh, he handed his plate over, letting her get what she wanted. It was going to happen anyway.

Kensi took a fry, nibbling at it, making sure to maintain eye contact. She took another fry and lifted it to his mouth. He opened automatically and watched as Kensi fed it to him, finding it strangely erotic. She took the conductor's hat off his head that he had insisted he wear all day and put it on.

"So… did you want me to wear the hat first or you?" She started walking back to their room, her eyes never leaving his. He put his plate down on the counter, the half-eaten food forgotten. As the door closed to the bedroom, the toy train let out a little whistle and slowly came to a stop.

* * *

_AN - and another chapter down! Hope you all enjoyed. I would love to know what you thought about it._


	24. Chapter 24

_Well...because I thought we could all use a little sunshine before (and after) tonight's episode. _

_Thanks to bookdiva for giving the thumbs up! :)_

* * *

For once, Kensi had woken up before Deeks. She looked over at him, seeing his nose twitch and she smiled. He was happy, and that knowledge made her heart soar. She felt the cool weight of the ring on her finger and twirled it. Soon. They were going to do this soon. They had talked about setting a date, but neither had put anything in stone, and she was ready to rectify that. She thought about taking him up on his offer to go to Las Vegas, but she knew that none of their family would be happy with that. And she knew, deep down, neither would they.

Their family, the real and the surrogate, may not be big, but it held every one of them together. And there was no way that they could do something this big and not have them there. It didn't need to be big, because that wasn't them, but however it happened, she knew it would be perfect.

Kensi caressed her finger down his arm, watching the smile on his face appear. His breathing was still even, and she decided she would make them breakfast this morning. He did it for her all the time, there was nothing saying she couldn't do it for him.

She got up and pulled on one his tshirts before making her way to the kitchen. She pulled out the eggs, bacon, sausage and cheese. Pancakes were Deeks's specialty, omelets were hers. She turned the stereo on before getting started, dancing her way around the kitchen, humming the tunes that came on.

Thirty minutes later, she flipped the second omelet and felt strong arms encircle her waist. She let out a sigh, leaning back into him.

"Something smells good. Are you sure you coked this?" He sniffed the air dramatically and she playfully kicked his shin.

"Hey, don't insult the cook. You never know what I could do to your food." As soon as the second omelet was on the plate, Deeks attached, tickling her sides. Kensi squealed, immediately dropping to the floor to get away from the assault before turning, knocking his legs out from under her. He landed on top of her, his comfortable weight settling over her. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, anchoring him to her. He kissed her, letting all the love he felt for her shine through. After a few minutes, the floor getting hard underneath them, he pulled back.

"So Princess, what did I do to deserve breakfast this morning." He touched his nose to hers and Kensi used every ounce of training to keep a straight face.

"We need to talk." Hearing these words, Deeks narrowed his eyes and lifted his eyebrows at her.

"So talk." He cocked his head to the side, waiting.

"You have to get up first." Deeks immediately started shaking his head. "Nope, not until you tell me what the talk is about."

"The wedding." She couldn't keep the smile off her face any longer. She didn't want him thinking she was backing out of it, no, she was hoping to get this done ASAP. Upon seeing her smile, he decided it wasn't as bad as it sounded and got up, offering his hand to her. As soon as she was on her feet, he lifted her up and set her on the counter.

"Okay, what would you like to talk about?" He used his hands to stroke her legs, knowing the effect it had on her. In answer to his hands, she wrapped her arms around his neck and started playing with his hair. She brought their lips together once again, unable to resist.

"How soon do you think we can get this wedding planned?" He looked at her, seeing the nervousness on her face, and not understanding where it was coming from.

"How soon do you want to get married?" He waited patiently for her to answer, but he didn't have to wait long.

"Yesterday. I want to be your wife Deeks. I want you to be my husband. I'm tired of not having your last name." He laughed a little, feeling the same as she did, but the last part of that threw him for a minute.

"You're going to take my last name? I figured you would want to keep Blye, or at the most hyphenate it to Deeks-Blye, or Blye-Deeks." She smiled at him, running her hands down his arms until she got this hands, linking them together.

"I will be Kensi Marie Deeks. At work, it won't be any different. I'll always call you Deeks. Everyone else says Kensi. But I want everyone to know, friends and enemies alike, that you are mine, and I am yours. Is…is uh… is that okay?" She was suddenly nervous about that, realizing they had never talked about it before.

"Kensi, of course I want you to have my last name. You saying 'I Do' will make me the happiest man on Earth. Taking my name will only be the icing on the already perfect cake. But only if you want to Kens, I don't want you thinking you have to." His face was serious as he said this. As much as he would love for her to take his last name, he also knew how important her name was now, and it wouldn't make a difference to him. She was marrying him, that's all that mattered.

"I want to Deeks." They both smiled, kissing again before Deeks released her from the counter, grabbing their plates of food and coffee and sat down.

"So, I have a friend that owes me a few favors. He owns a wedding cruise type business. He's actually a captain of one of the yachts he takes out. I can make a call, see if he can work us in?" Kensi almost choked on the massive bite she had just taken. Deeks just laughed at her, getting up and pouring her a glass of orange juice to wash it down. After she had drank half the glass she turned to him as he continued to eat.

"I thought you wanted to get married on the beach. Or at least, I always figured you would want that." She took another bite, smaller this time, as she waited for him to answer,

"I look at it like this. While yes, a beach wedding would be awesome, getting married on a boat will be just as good. I will still be surrounded by the ocean, the wind on my face, and most important, you will be there." He reached over, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "So, what'll it be? Want me to make the call?"

Kensi was dumbfounded. Rendered speechless. All she could do was nod her head at him as he laughed at her, taking the last bite of his food before standing and giving her a quick kiss. She watched as he left the room in search of his phone. She grabbed their plates and washed up the dishes, feeling the butterflies in the stomach. She knew she wanted to do this soon, but it seemed that now it was real. Like _real_ real. And just like that, her nerves were gone. Because this, them, that's what she wanted more than anything.

He walked back in a few minutes later, leaning against the doorframe and watched as Kensi swayed her hips to the song as she finished the dishes. He knew the moment she became aware of his presence, because the sway in her hips became more prominent and she slowly turned, and he saw the seductive look in her eyes.

Deeks immediately put his finger up, telling her to that thought.

"Okay Princess, I have to run this by you and call Steve back soon. If we do what you want to do, it will be a while and we might miss our chance." He watched as the pout that originally graced her beautiful mouth went into a smile, understanding what he was saying.

"Okay fine. What's up?" She raised her eyebrows at him.

"They had a cancellation come up this morning. If you want, they have a dinner time spot open in two weeks. Otherwise, it would be about 3 months, they are booked solid."

Kensi's answer was instantaneous. "Yes. Let's do it." His grin said it all. He kissed her again before pulling his phone out and hitting redial. She listened as he told Steve they would take it.

"You want to meet with us today to go over the details?" Deeks looked over at Kensi, silently asking her if this would work. She nodded at him and they set a time for 4:00pm. As soon as he hung up the phone, she flung herself at him, wrapping her legs around his waist as he held her up.

"Two weeks babe. Two. Freakin. Weeks." She could hear the smile in his voice, and her heart sped up as he peppered her neck with kisses.

"Sure you're ready?" Her voice was teasing, but held a small amount of doubt, too.

He pulled his face away from her shoulder, making her whine and snuggle her face deeper into his neck.

"Kens, look at me please." She sighed before lifting her head up.

"I'm ready. More than ready. I love you, always have, always will. There is no truer statement than that." She didn't answer, just put her lips to his as he carried to their room, each one showing their love with their actions.

* * *

Kensi and Deeks walked back into their apartment later that evening. They had met with Steve and gone over exactly how the ceremony would take place as well as what would be provided by the company. They learned that Steve's wife worked with him as a wedding planner, and she proved to be very good at her job. They had the flower center pieces picked out for the tables, the wedding cake picked out and table cloths chosen. Kensi and Deeks had talked on the way over, deciding that they wanted simple. Nothing more than absolutely necessary. Because their dinner wedding cruise now included food as well as champagne, drinks, and a cake, there wasn't much left to plan.

Instead of regular invitations, they had decided to get some card stock and make it more of a flyer than an invitation that they could give out. They weren't planning on inviting many people, so spending a lot of money on something like that seemed like a waste.

After the planning part of it was completed, Steve took them on a tour of the yacht they would be aboard and explained the ceremony, which he would officiate. Kensi and Deeks both agreed they wanted to recite their own vows.

As soon as they left, they both felt a huge weight lifted off their shoulders. The wedding would be in two weeks, with everything almost completely done minus the invitations and Kensi's wedding dress. It was going to be simple, and they both knew that this was the best option for them.

When they got home, as tired as they were, Kensi decided to call her mom and Nell and see if they would go dress shopping with her. Her first call was to her mom.

Deeks held her hand while they sat on the couch and turned the TV on, but muted it so Kensi wouldn't be fighting with the noise while on the phone.

"Hey mom… yeah, we're good, really good in fact… no, that's actually why I was calling… mom, take a breath, okay?" Deeks chuckled, listening to the one sided conversation.

"The wedding is going to be in two weeks." There was a long silence, the partners looking at each other. Kensi started getting nervous, unsure if the lapse in conversation was a good or bad thing.

"Mom? Are you still there?" Kensi then heard the sniffles and her own eyes welled up.

"Mom, are you crying? Don't cry, okay?" Deeks squeezed her hand as he listened, wondering if he should go in the other room and let them have some private mother-daughter time. As soon as he went to stand, Kensi yanked him back down. He looked over at her smirking and saw her mouth the words "please stay" to him. He nodded to her, placing a kiss to the back of her hand and sat back against the couch, feet propped up on the table.

"Well, Deeks has a friend, Steve, who owns his own wedding cruise business. They had an opening come up in two weeks and we took it. It's not going to be big, 15 people at the most. We talked to Steve's wife who does the wedding planning part of it and we have everything pretty much done. I was just uh… well, would you want to go with me and maybe Nell tomorrow to go dress shopping? It's just, we don't have a lot of time now and I'm nervous I won't find a dress and its only two weeks away now." Deeks smiled as he listened to Kensi ramble on. He put his finger up to her lips to stop her from saying anything else. She upped the ante by biting his finger, but not hard enough to do anything but make him laugh. She took a breath, realizing she had been about to go into having a full on anxiety attack.

"So, would you want to go with me mom?" Deeks heard the 'yes' through the phone, and Kensi's whole body seemed to relax. They set a time to meet in the morning and she made the same call to Nell, who literally started screaming through the phone. As soon as Nell calmed down enough to actually listen, Kensi asked if she would go with her. Nell quickly agreed and Kensi made plans to pick her up in the morning.

Once the calls were made, plans set, Kensi got up and went to the fridge, grabbing two beers and sat back down. Deeks took his and after getting it open, put his arm around his almost-wife and pulled her to him.

"So, interesting side note." Kensi knew she had to tell someone what she just heard, and who better than her best friend.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" He raised his eyebrows at her before taking a swig of his drink.

"Pretty sure Eric was over a Nell's house." Deeks just gave her a blank stare.

"Okay…"

"Deeks, how often did we hang out before we got together? All the time! There could be a budding romance there!" She was a little too excited about this.

"Honey, sweetheart, sugarbear. Please, _please_ don't start meddling." He tried giving her a stern look, but the pout on her face was too much.

"Babe, if it _is_ more than friendship, and I'm not sayin it is, but _if_ it is, then leave them be. If anyone had tried to get us to move our 'thing' along any faster, we would have dug our heels in more fighting it. Well, you would have, I would have agreed with the other person."

"What exactly do you mean by that?" She pulled away from him and he sighed. Sometimes, he just needed to shut up.

"I mean that you and I both fought the attraction for a long time. Are you going to tell me if Nell had come up to you and told you to open your eyes to what was in front of you, that you would have listened? Or would have been even more stubborn about it?" He was really trying not to piss her off right now, because he had a wedding to attend here very soon.

"Honestly? Depends on when she would have said it. Before your mission? Probably would have been stubborn on principle alone. During the mission? I had already figured it out, so it wouldn't have been a game changer. Obviously after the mission isn't an option, since we've been together since the day you came home. But I do see where you're coming from. If I wasn't ready to hear it, it would have made me close off a little more."

"So I'm right." That damn smirk was back on his face.

"Don't put words in my mouth Deeks." She gave him a pointed look.

"I'm not. Seeing my point means I'm right." Kensi just shook her head at him.

"Nope, it does not." Deeks trailed his finger down her arm, effectively distracting her.

"So, what do I have to do to get you to agree that I'm right?" She put her finger up to her mouth, pretending to be in deep thought. He had made a promise the night they got engaged, and she couldn't think of a better time for him to make good on it.

Deeks saw the gleam appear in her eyes and he sighed. He had been hoping she would forget about the whole private dance thing, but apparently not.

"Dance, monkey. Dance." Kensi saw the recognition in his eyes before she said the words, and she loved every minute of it.

"Are you kidding me?" She started laughing while shaking her head. She might be laughing now, but she was completely serious.

"So, so serious." She was almost doubled over in laughter right now but was trying to calm down, not wanting to ruin the moment.

"You don't sound serious." At his words, Kensi got up off the couch and went to her purse, pulling out the stash of ones she had been saving for this occasion.

"What the… Kensi Marie Blye, are you being for real right now? How long have you been saving those up?" His eyebrows shot up, disbelief written all over his face.

"Doesn't matter how long. All I know is this will be the best investment I've ever made." She spread the dollars out in her hand and then started fanning herself with them.

Deeks just gave a heavy sigh before getting up and walking to the stereo, plugging his IPod in and turning the music on. When he turned back to her, he had a smile on his face, and she knew this was going to be the best dance ever.

* * *

The next morning, Kensi again woke up earlier than Deeks, but this time it was because of the heat radiating off of him, and not in a good way. She touched his arm, noting how hot he felt. She immediately got up, grabbed some Tylenol and water and took it to him.

"Hey sweetheart… "She touched his arm, trying to wake him up gently, but got nothing. "Babe, I need you to wake up." Again, nothing.

"Deeks." His eyes popped open suddenly and he groaned.

"Oh my God, what the hell is happening right now? I feel like I've been hit by a truck." He tried moving but his body protested.

"Here, I got you some medicine and some water. I'm going to go call my mom and reschedule the shopping trip for another day." As she went to get up, Deeks grabbed her arm.

"No ma'am. You go do your dress shopping. I'm sick Kensi. I'm not going anywhere and you don't need to be stuck inside with me all day while I'm Mr. Grumpy Pants, because that will only put you in a bad mood too."

"Deeks, I'm not leaving you while you're sick."

"You're not. You are giving me some time to recover on my own so that way the worst is over by the time you get back and I don't get you sick, too." She stood up and made her way to the bathroom, quickly bringing back a cool wash cloth to put on his forehead.

"We did a lot more than kissing last night and then I slept with my face 3 inches from yours, breathing in your germs. It's a safe bet that if I'm going to get sick, I contracted sometime then."

"Touche. But, I still won't let you cancel on today. Please Kens. Go out with Nell and your mom and find the perfect dress. You don't have a lot of time to find one and I know how picky you can be sometimes."

"Deeks –"

"Go babe. Please. I will be just fine with Monty here to take care of me. Although right now, I will probably sleep from the time you leave until you get back. Don't worry." He gave her a small smile, his eyes already drooping.

Kensi just leaned over, placing a kiss on his forehead. He closed his eyes and Kensi knew he was right. Every time he was sick, all he would do was sleep. And there wasn't much she could do for him when he was sleeping. But that didn't stop the rush of guilt she felt when she stepped out of the shower and continued to get ready.

She decided then that she would make this trip fast. Three stores max. If she didn't find anything, that's okay. No one could say she hadn't at least tried and she could always get off early one day and go look some more.

She wrote him a note, leaving it on the nightstand next to a fresh glass of water and more Tylenol.

_My Handsome Prince,_

_I hate that you are sick. If I could, I would take it away for you. While I may not have that kind of power, I do have the power to promise that I will always be here to take care of you when you are sick. Well, excluding today because I have to dress shop. But you get the idea behind it. I love you sickly man. Always have, always will. I will be home soon and will maybe, just maybe, I will show you the nurse's outfit. Smile Sunshine! - Your Princess_

Kensi kissed him once more before walking out and gently shutting the door. She really hoped this dress shopping business would be fast.

* * *

_AN - I would love to hear your thoughts! Next chapter will be the dress shopping and Kensi taking care of Deeks. Should be up soon. :)_


	25. Chapter 25

_Picking up where we left off last chapter. Some dress shopping, some nursing-back-to-health, and a little something else. Hope you amazing people like it._

_Thanks to Kenzalina, who always makes me feel better about posting chapters. You, my friend, rock! Thank you for everything!_

* * *

Kensi picked up Nell and made it to the coffee shop with a few minutes to spare. They ordered their coffee and sat down to wait for Julia.

"So two weeks huh? You excited? Girl, I need details!" Nell was almost beside herself with excitement. She remembered helping Deeks with the original notes and gifts, and while she had always wanted them to get together, it had turned out to be more of a fairy tale than anything she had expected.

They both went out of their way to make the other smile, and while it was pretty awesome to watch, it had also turned into something important to the whole team. Anytime one of them asked if they would help out with something, like their signature scavenger hunts, everyone one of them fought over who would get to help out the love birds – even Sam and Callen, who could be found playing rock-paper-scissors for who would get to do what.

Nell remembered the day she had walked in on that little game between them and the blush that immediately rose to their cheeks. She had heard Sam say he was driving Kensi from the gym to the beach and Callen had told him that as the role of the big brother, it was only fitting that he do it. Sam had protested, saying Kensi was his sister, too, and so hands came out, Sam landing on scissors and Callen throwing down rock. She had walked in as Sam yelled cheater and she had just raised her eyebrows.

Nell was so lost in thought, remembering the boys and their reaction she missed Kensi talking until he caught the last part.

"… and then Deeks put on his Spiderman costume and proceeded to scale the building." Kensi raised her eyebrows at Nell, waiting to see what all she had caught.

"Wow, that's um… interesting. Kensi, what the hell are you talking about?" Nell was shaking her head, knowing she was caught but trying to play it off.

"Just seeing how much you were paying attention. You went off into la-la land… thinking about a certain someone?" Kensi smiled secretly at her, and Nell looked at her, a little confused.

"What? What are you talking about now?" Nell tilted her head a little, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Oh nothing. Just remembering partner bonding nights is all." Kensi raised her eyebrow at her friend, watching as realization hit her and a blush form.

"No, it's not like that. We… he's just… we're friends, that's all." Kensi heard the words, but she also saw the look on Nell's face when she said it.

"You may be smarter than everyone else in OPS combined, but your eyes are lying." Nell opened her mouth to protest but Kensi stopped her. "Take it from someone with experience in this kind of thing. If you haven't already crossed that bridge, don't take too long to do it. All that does is make you look back later and wonder why the hell you didn't do it sooner. If you have crossed that bridge, than cherish the road in front of you. Either way, your secret is safe with me. And Deeks." Nell almost choked.

"What do you mean 'and Deeks?' How does he know?" Kensi gave her the 'really?' look and watched as her mom strode towards them.

"Seriously Nell? When have I ever been able to hide anything from that man? Don't worry, he's not going to say anything, not if he wants to continue sharing a bed." Nell laughed a little and sighed. She and Eric hadn't crossed any bridges yet, but she also knew they both wanted to. Maybe soon.

Julia walked up and the girls both rose, giving her a hug. They sat there talking for a minute before getting a plan put into place.

"So sweetie, is there anywhere specific you want to go? I know a great little bridal boutique around the corner we can start at, see if there's anything there you like." The smile hadn't left her face as she looked at her daughter.

"Um, nowhere in particular. The boutique sounds like a great place to start. But Deeks is sick at home, so I don't want to be out too late today."

"Oh no, is he okay? Does he need anything? What's wrong?" Julia's face went from smiling to concern.

"He had a pretty high fever this morning. He's probably still sleeping. I woke up him and gave him some Tylenol, but I want to be there if he needs me." Nell and Julia were both nodding their heads at her, understanding in their eyes.

"Of course honey. Come on, let's go see if we can find you the perfect dress. You also have to tell us the details. I talked to you on Thursday and the wedding date was still undecided. Now, you have a date, a place – well, everything really – and it's in two weeks!" They all walked out to Julia's car and got in, deciding it was easier to car pool from here than try and follow each other.

Kensi told them all the details that had been worked out as they drove. The other two women agreed that it was too good of a deal to pass up and all three were eager to find the bride a dress.

The first boutique her mom had taken them to had two dresses she was interested in, but once she managed to get them on, she didn't like them. The first time she had stepped out of the dressing room with it on, her mom had started crying and Nell's eyes had misted over. Kensi had just stood there looking at them, wondering what the hell was going on. It wasn't until her mom had gained composure and explained that seeing her daughter in a wedding dress, even if it wasn't the one, was something she didn't think she would ever get to see.

At those words, Kensi's eyes had filled too and she hugged her mom, thankful that they had each other again.

Nell had snapped a picture of the two of them together and smiled. Kensi asked for a copy of it and she knew that no matter what, this was going to be a good day.

Three dress shops later, Kensi was about to scream. Who knew finding a damn wedding dress would be this difficult? Some places wouldn't even let her look without an appointment, and because time was pretty essential right now, they just kept going.

The three ladies pulled up to the last shop that day. Kensi had stated rather firmly if they didn't find anything here, they were going home. She was tired, cranky and while she had texted Deeks earlier, she still hadn't heard from him which was making her antsy.

"Kensi, Nell and I are going to go get us a cup of coffee while you sit here and read this. We will bring you one back, it won't take long. Breathe sweetie, we will find you a dress, don't worry." She watched her daughter's face, knowing how picky Kensi was when she was a child. And Julia knew that dress shopping wouldn't be any different. While Kensi may think her tastes are simple, and she really had wanted this to be a quick trip, Julia also knew that her daughter wouldn't settle for anything less than exactly what she wanted.

Julia pulled a pale purple piece of paper out of her purse and handed it to her before she and Nell got out, leaving Kensi sitting there with her mouth open.

She watched as her mother and her other best friend walked into the coffee shop next door, fingering the note before unfolding it.

_To The Future Mrs. Deeks,_

I know by now you are getting frustrated Fern. Take a deep breath babe. You will find the perfect dress and you will be the most beautiful bride in the world. Hell, you could wear a flour sack, I don't care. All that matters to me is you. Pure and simple. It doesn't matter to me what you decide to wear, as long as you say 'I Do' at the end of the day, and I can kiss you as my wife. That's all that matters.

Do you know what my favorite look on you is? When you literally take my breath away? It's when I get to watch you sleeping. You have the most serene look on your face, and when I trace my finger along your cheek and you sigh, leaning into it further, my heart stops. An extremely close second is when you smile. Your true, genuine Kensi Blye smile can make even the coldest of hearts melt.

I want you relax a little. Sit back, close your eyes and bring back a memory that makes you happy (and if I know you, I will definitely be making an appearance in it – just sayin'). Keep that memory in mind, and when you start getting frustrated again, think of it.

Whenever things start getting too much, I remember the day I came back from LAPD and you sent me on our first scavenger hunt. Because that day, it changed my life. In the course of a few hours, I got everything I ever wanted in life. You. I love you sweetheart, to the moon and back. I can't tell you how much you mean to me, but I will spend the rest of our lives trying to show you.

Now, get your cute ass going and find a dress. I know it's out there, waiting for you. Be nice to your mom and Nell, because they love you too. And I can't wait to officially call you mine.

Smile Sunshine!

Your Future Husband (Marty Deeks, in case you had forgotten, although I don't think that's possible)  
  
Kensi looked up from the letter, closing her eyes for a minute and thinking back on her favorite memory. Damn the man for knowing he'd be a part of it. She smiled as she thought back to the reason they were shopping today. Everything he had done for her, from the flowers to the coffee, the gym and his video to reading her dads letter and then, then this perfect man of hers asking her to marry him.

When she opened her eyes, she saw her mom and Nell were standing outside talking, waiting for her. She glanced at the paper again before tucking it into her purse and getting out, joining them.

"Feel better?" Nell knocked her elbow against Kensi's, smiling.

"Yes, much. I'm sorry I've been kind of a bitch today. I just... I didn't realize how stressful this was going to be. So, from here on out, if I start getting too much like Bridezilla, tell me to calm the hell down, got it?" She looked from her mom to Nell, both whom were laughing and nodding at her. Their laughter was contagious, and Kensi quickly joined in. She quickly finished her coffee and they made their way into the store.

Kensi could feel it. She knew her dress was going to be in here somewhere, she just had to find it. The saleswoman walked up, introducing herself as Linda. Kensi liked her smile and let her lead the way.

"So, do you know what type of dress you are looking for?" If this had been the first place, Kensi would have said no. But now, after looking at countless dresses, she knew what she wanted.

"I want something with either spaghetti straps or strapless. Something you would see at a beach wedding. I would like it to be longer, but not hitting the floor… maybe just below the knee or mid-calf? And with lace." Linda nodded at her as Julia and Nell took a seat. Kensi wasn't the only one who was tired.

Linda walked around the store a minute, coming back with four choices. Kensi's heart starting racing a little, hoping her dress was one of these. She followed her back to the dressing rooms and looked at the choices. Kensi audibly gasped when her eyes hit the last dress. It was perfect.

After she got it on, she felt tears well up in her eyes. It was a simple white strapless dress that ended just below her knees, while the lace overlay ended right above it in the front and cascaded down, falling just short of her ankle in the back. The lace fell just right, so it looked like it was floating around her.

As she walked out of the dressing room, three pairs of eyes shone bright with unshed tears as they saw her. All three women could agree that they had never seen a more beautiful bride.

"So um, what do you guys think?" Her voice was nervous, hoping they liked it as much as she did. She stood on the small platform backed by mirrors and twirled around, loving the feeling of the lace twirling with her. The dress was comfortable and moved when she did.

"It's perfect." Julia was the first to recover and rushed to her daughter, pulling her into a hug. Kensi just wrapped her arms around her mom and held on. Nell was next, and Kensi smiled at her friend when they pulled away from each other.

"Your mom is right. It's absolutely stunning Kens. Deeks is going to fall overboard when he sees you." All three women started laughing at the mental picture.

"He does that, he's on his own. I'm not gonna ruin my dress by jumping in after him." Nell just laughed knowingly at her.

"Yes you would. He jumps, you jump. He falls overboard, you haul his ass back in, punch him in the arm and then say 'I Do'. That's how you guys roll." Kensi laughed, knowing her friend was right.

Linda checked the dress over, making sure that no alterations would be needed. It wasn't very often they had a wedding dress fit like a glove with no modifications, but it seemed this woman had found the one. As she took the dress up to the front and put it in wrapping to protect it, Julia pulled her credit card out.

"No mom, I can pay for this." Kensi started protesting but her mom just looked at her.

"Kensi Marie Blye. This is the only thing I am getting to pay for. You and Marty have taken care of everything else. Please, let me do this." Kensi smiled at her mom, understanding her words and nodded at her.

"Okay mom. Thank you." Julia put her arm around Kensi.

"I love you sweetheart. No thanks needed." Kensi wrapped her arms around her neck and hugged her, thanking God again for bringing them back together.

Linda rang them up and the three ladies walked out into the sunshine and smiled.

"So Kensi, what do you have left?" They all climbed into the car and headed back to the coffee shop.

"Invitations." She explained her idea and Nell squealed, asking if she could do it for her. She had just bought a new program for her computer and this would give her the perfect opportunity to play around with a few things. Nell saw the hesitant look on her friend's face and laughed.

"Trust me Kens. I'm not going to do anything you wouldn't love. I will send it to you for approval first." Kensi trusted Nell's judgment, and gave her to go ahead.

They talked about the wedding and Julia said she would keep the dress at her house, that way Deeks didn't see it. They decided to meet again the following weekend to go shoe and accessory shopping as well as look for outfits for Nell and Julia.

When it was time for Kensi to take Nell back to her place, she decided it was now or never to ask her friend a question that had been weighing on her.

"Hey Nell, I was wondering, if you wanted to. I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to, but I just thought, since you're the best girlfriend I have…"

"Yes, I would love to." Kensi snapped her head over to Nell, wondering how she knew what she was talking about.

"How did you know what I was going to ask?" She put her eyes back on the road, but was still confused. It was usually only Deeks who could figure out her rambling.

"Kensi, it wasn't hard to figure out. I would be honored to stand up there with you. Wait, that is what you were asking right?" Suddenly, Nell was worried she had misunderstood.

"Nell Jones, would you be my maid of honor?" Might as well put it out there was no more confusion.

"Kensi Blye, I would be honored." Nell's face lit up as did Kensi's. Everything was coming together and it felt great.

* * *

Kensi opened the door to the apartment and listened. Usually she was greeted with wagging tails and woof's, but it seemed even Monty was busy taking care of his master. She set her purse down and went into the bedroom to check on Deeks. What she saw there pulled her heartstrings.

Monty was curled up next to Deeks and his arm was thrown over him. Monty raised his head when she walked in and when he noticed who it was he just laid his head back down. Kensi walked over and sat down next to her sleeping 'guys' and reached out, putting her hand on his forehead. She felt the heat before she even touched him and knew his fever was back to full force.

"Kens…"he whispered it, not bothering to open his eyes but wanting to acknowledge her.

"Hey babe. How ya doing?" She smoothed the hair away from his face, hating seeing him like this.

"I've been better." He opened one eye and immediately regretted it. They felt like sandpaper and instead of fighting it, he closed them again.

"I'm going to get you some water and some Ibuprofen, okay? Are you hungry, do you want to try and eat something?" He just shook his head no and Kensi got up, feeling guilty for leaving him like this.

She immediately brought back the items, placing them on the table and shook him awake again.

"Huh, what?" She couldn't help but smile at the little boy voice he had, and she pictured their kids doing the same thing in the morning.

"Take the medicine Deeks. And drink all of the water. You need to at least try to stay hydrated." Deeks put the pills in his mouth and blindly reached for the water. Instead of giving it to him directly, Kensi put her hand behind his head and lifted it up, supporting it while she the glass up to his lips. He drank slowly, not opening his eyes.

When he was done and she had refilled the glass with water for later, she decided to let him rest a little more. She cleaned the apartment up, did some laundry and ordered some chicken soup from the bistro around the corner.

She snuck back in the room and called for Monty, but It seemed Deeks didn't want to let him go. Monty just looked at her, silently asking for help. She took pity on him and managed to get Monty loose and slipped her body pillow in his stead, hoping to work for a while. Deeks just furrowed his closed eyes but didn't make any other protests to his new snuggling partner.

Kensi hooked Monty's leash on him and took him out for what she could only guess was a much needed bathroom break. She walked him for about 20 minutes before picking up the soup and heading back home.

As soon as she walked inside, she heard the shower going. She unleashed Monty and he took off towards the bathroom whimpering. Starting to get concerned now, she followed him as he sniffed at the door, pawing at it.

"What's up boy? Huh? Does daddy need help?" She pushed the door open, calling out to her partner.

"Deeks? You okay?" All she got in response was a grunt.

"Babe. What's going on? Do you need some help?" She peeked into the shower and saw him sitting down, his head on his arms.

"Oh my God, Deeks. What happened? Are you okay? Look at me please, you're scaring me." She had thrown the curtain back and turned the water off.

"I was hoping a shower would help me feel a little better. I managed to get the soap in my hair before I got dizzy and had to sit down. Didn't really have the strength to get back up." He hadn't lifted his head up yet and she could see that not all the soap had been rinsed out yet.

"Hold on Deeks. Let me get a cup so I can finish rinsing your hair and then we can get you out of here." She hurried to the bedroom and grabbed the glass he had been using before rushing back. She knew he had to be freezing and she needed to get him warm again before it made him sicker.

"Okay sweetheart, we will have you out of there in no time." She turned the water back on, noticing he had started shivering. She quickly rinsed the rest of the shampoo out of his hair and helped him stand up, wrapping him up in a towel. He sat down on the toilet while she got him some fresh clothes and once he was dressed, she put her arms around his waist and led him to the couch. He plopped down and she covered him with a blanket.

"I need you to try and eat something, okay?" He just threw his head back on the couch.

"No promises." Kensi kissed his head and walked to the kitchen to warm up the soup. Once it was ready, she put some orange juice in a glass and carried it to him.

"Here you go Deeks. Come on, try and eat. You need to get some strength back." He just laid there and Kensi knew it was time to bring out the big guns.

"I'm not wearing my nurses outfit until you start feeling better, and you won't feel better until you try and eat something." His head lolled to the side and he opened his eye.

"That's not fair Kens. Way to kick a guy when he's down." She smiled at him warmly, glad he had at least acknowledged her.

"Just pointing out the obvious." He opened his mouth as Kensi brought the spoon up, realizing if he was going to eat she was going to have to feed him. And she was okay with that.

Deeks ate half of it before he stopped her.

"I'm done for now Kens. I don't think I can eat anymore. Was that at least a good start?" He was giving her puppy dog eyes, hoping she wouldn't make him eat anymore.

"Yeah, that was a good start Deeks. Stay right here, I'm going to go strip the bed and put clean sheets on." He tried to smile at her.

"You had me at stripping." Kensi laughed, happy to hear him making jokes.

"You just couldn't pass that up, could you?" He shook his head a little.

"Nope." He closed his eyes again, wanting to room to stop spinning. Kensi hurried to their room, changed the sheets and came back for him.

"Come on babe. Let's go." Helping him up, she guided him back to their room and laid him down.

"Can I get you anything?" He just patted the bed next to him, showing her what he wanted.

"I missed you today. It's time I snuggled with you instead of your substitutes."

"Shhhh. Monty might hear you and get offended. You know how he gets when you hurt his feelings."

"Yeah, well, ignoring me would probably be good right now. Remind me to get him some of those bones that clean teeth. His breath is atrocious." Kensi laughed, changing clothes and climbing in next to him. She kept the blanket off of her, knowing she had all the body heat she needed from Deeks.

"I don't want to get you sick sweetheart." He said the words, but his arms were already around her, and he was sighing.

"I think I'm good. Besides, I missed you today." She touched his forehead, noting it wasn't as hot as it was earlier and she gave a relieved breath.

"Mmm. Missed you too. Hey, did you find a dress? Sorry I forgot to ask earlier." She took her hand, stroking his head and playing with his hair.

"Don't be sorry. And yes." His eyes popped open, staring at her.

"You did? You found a dress?" She nodded at him and he smiled at her, love shining through the feverish haze.

"Oh Fern, I'm so glad. I know it's perfect." He closed his eyes again and he drifted off, visions of his girl walking down the aisle in a white dress, ready to become his wife.

And after the day she had had, Kensi wasn't far behind, dreaming of a man in a simple suit, watching her walk towards him with the most amazing smile on his face that she had ever seen.

The next morning, Kensi woke up a little cooler than normal, which she hadn't been expecting. When she opened her eyes, she saw Deeks watching her and she remembered his letter, telling her this was his favorite look on her.

"Morning sleepy head." He put his forehead to hers and she was happy that it was cool, all traces of a fever gone.

"Morning. Feelin better?" He nodded once before bringing her to him and wrapping his leg around hers.

"I think I remember a certain someone saying they would put on a nurses outfit if I got better. I'm fever free, so…."he let the sentence fade off, feeling the laugh move through her.

"Yep, I would say you are feeling much better." She ran her fingers up and down his arm, content with just laying there.

"Well, I did have an excellent nurse." He kissed her head and watched her.

"I told you I would take care of you. You sound like you had doubts." She was teasing him and he loved it.

"You killed a cactus, Princess. I was a little worried for a while." He tightened his hold on her so she couldn't hit him, but it was a struggle. He was nowhere near 100% yet, but he laughed as he kept the violence away – for now.

"Hey! I resent that!" She tried to sound outraged, but she knew he was right. She laughed, and Deeks quickly joined in with her. They laid there for a minute, just holding each other.

"You took excellent care of me Fern. I think I'll keep you around." He laughed at the look on her face and kissed her nose.

"Seriously, I don't know what I would have done without you. Thank you." She nodded at him, locking eyes with him. He may have been joking around, but she was serious.

"We may not have said it officially, but I'm here, through sickness and health, till death do us part." He brought his hand up to her face, cupping her cheek.

"Through sickness and health, till death do us part. Forever Kensi."

Kensi smiled at him before a thought struck her. She rolled over him and grabbed his phone before handing it to him.

"I believe we have a phone call to make." His face broke out in a wide grin before nodding her and taking the phone.

"I believe you're right."

"I always am." He laughed and kissed her nose before looking up the number he had saved for this occasion. He put it on speaker and they both listened to the ringing before a sleepy voice answered.

"Hello?" Deeks chuckled at his friend before answering.

"I see you're still lazy." They heard Ray gasp a little before laughing.

"Hey there Marty. Long time no hear. How's it going man?" Deeks looked at Kensi, eyes bright.

"It's great. Things are really great."

"Things worked out with Wikipedia, huh?" Leave it to Ray to know the reason for the call.

"You could say that." Kensi answered this time. "Hey Ray."

"Hey Wikipedia. Wow, so you guys finally got your shit together? About time." They all laughed at that and Deeks let out a sigh, missing his friend.

"Yeah, we finally got our shit together. In fact, there will be Mrs. Kensi Deeks in a little less than two weeks."

"Whoa! Damn, that's awesome. Congratulations you guys. I just want to say this – I totally called it from the beginning. I knew you two had a thing."

"There's definitely a thing. So, how's the family?"

The three of them talked for the next ten minutes, Deeks and Ray catching up and Kensi loving the banter between the two. She didn't realize how much Deeks had missed Ray until now, and she realized she would make sure not as much time passed before they talked again. It might be a little dangerous, contacting him, but they were Special Agents, they could figure it out.

"Okay man, well, I hear the kiddo yelling daddy, so that's my cue. I wish you two nothing but happiness and love. You deserve it Marty. You both do. Take care of him for me Wikipedia."

Kensi just nodded, looking at Deeks. "I will, don't worry."

"Told you he had a thing for brunettes." Ray chuckled, imagining the shocked look on his friend's face.

"What? You told her that?" Deeks looked at Kensi accusingly and laughed.

"Damn right I did. Now, you two love muffins be good. Congratulations on the wedding." They all said their goodbyes and hung up, Deeks making a heavy sigh.

"I wish he could be here for it. I know it's not possible, but I just…"his voice trailed off and Kensi kissed him again.

"I know babe. But you can still talk to him from time to time, keep in touch a little. At least you didn't lose him from your life forever." He nodded at her, pulling her into his arms, relishing the comfort it brought him.

"Very true. I guess I just didn't realize how much I missed him until now." She squeezed his waist, not saying anything.

A few minutes later, she pulled away from him, making him groan.

"No, I was warm and comfy. Come back to bed." She just laughed at him.

"I figured coffee would be in order." Deeks rolled onto his back, arms flaying out to the side.

"Mmm, you have the best ideas." She laughed at him, going to the kitchen and getting the coffee started. Deciding he needed some cheering up, she went to the other bedroom and silently changed clothes.

Deeks's eyes almost popped out of his head when she walked back in, wearing the skimpy nurses outfit and holding two cups of coffee.

"So, where does it hurt?" She put the coffee down and Deeks grabbed her, pulling her onto the bed.

"All over." She trailed her fingers over his body, dropping kisses to his chest.

"Mmm, well, I think I know how to fix that." He just nodded, thanking God that she was his.

* * *

_AN - Well, I think we can all guess what the next chapter is going to be. Hope you liked this one. Drop a line on the way out, you know how happy the reviews make me. _


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